Conspiracy Theory
by To the Wild Rose
Summary: A deadly plot is unfolding...mobile suits are attacking the Earth. The people are blaming the colonies and as tensions rise, Relena and the pilots find themselves on the brink of war. Revised and Complete
1. Prolouge

AN: I do not own Gundam Wing. The only thing that I won is the plot of this story. I must admit that I took some ideas from other movies and stories, but ideas are what make our imaginations soar. I hope that you enjoy this fanfic. Please remember that it is also my first though.

Another note: This story takes place after Endless Waltz.

The shouts of people could be heard throughout the large conference room. Senseless bickering was the only thing that had resulted with the members of ESUN. All day this had been going on. Peace between the Earth and colonies had existed for nearly two years, yet it was grower thinner by the minute. The thread was so thin right now; it would break if a gentle wind were to blow upon it. And for Relena Darlian, this gentle wind could mean the downfall of her life.

Young as she was, she had worked for countless hours trying to end all tensions that threatened the peace she and so many others worked hard to gain. The young and bold Vice Foreign Minister was probably in fact the only thing right now that was actually maintaining the peace throughout the universe. This she knew very well. She knew that people looked to her for hope and strength and that without her, another war would surely break out. She accepted this fact, but would never let anyone realize the burden it placed upon her innocent soul. One false move could not only cost her her own life, but the lives of thousands more.

She was now trying to console some of the delegates from the colonies. Everyone had lately seen that the ESUN was no longer united as it had once been. The delegates and representatives from the colonies and Earth had again split into two groups. Rumors of a conspiracy for another war were only making matters worse.

" Ladies and Gentlemen! I demand that we have order at once!" cried Relena her voice calm but forceful.

Silence filled the room as it always did when the young woman spoke. The presence that surrounded her captivated people somehow, in a way people could not explain. Perhaps it was the fact that she was so young and yet held such a high position in the ESUN committee. Whatever it was, the people listened and took their seats, waiting for her next words.

"Arguing shall get us no where. Peace is so fragile right now. You who claim to be the keepers of peace can not even maintain it amongst yourselves," spoke Relena solemnly. She looked around at the committee to see downcast eyes. She continued,

"I am quite sure that everyone here has felt the tensions in the ESUN. There is no use hiding it. But I must say that if these new rumors of war are true, then we must stand together. We must find the source of these rumors. Whomever wishes to start another war, shall suffer the consequences once we have found them."

"What makes you so sure that we shall discover who wants to start this so called 'war'?"

Relena turned her head sharply to her right. Murmurs rose through the room. Her soft sapphire eyes met the owner of the voice. It was a middle-age man with sharp gray eyes. His diplomatic uniform gave him a powerful presence. To others he would be considered intimidating, but Relena stood her ground firmly. She had learned over the years that she mustn't let her emotions show during these meetings. She put on a mask that hid her inner emotions entirely. On the outside she would always appear calm and confident, Yet inside. She could always here her heart beating quickly and her emotions getting the best of her.

"Senator Pentane, I can assure you that all possible measures will be taken to prevent this war from happening. Justice, in the end, shall prevail." Having finished, Relena gracefully sat down, while approving glances from those surrounding her were shot her way.

Pentane slightly smirked. He rose from his seat and nodded to the committee for permission to have the floor. After everyone's approval he began to speak,

"As many of you know, rumors of war have been reaching our ears for months. Now form what I have heard from these rumors, as I am sure many of you have, is that the colonies feel that the Earth still feels the need to overrule them, rather than rule with them. Might I assure you that I am not accusing anyone in this room. This is simply from my understanding."

Murmurs from the representatives of the colonies were heard but none seemed to be angered from what Pentane had said. What he spoke of was the truth. To add to the rumors that were circulating, small terrorist acts had been carried out, mainly against the Earth. All sources pointed to rebels groups that still existed in the colonies. These groups wanted total independence for the colonies. Lately, the attacks were becoming more frequent.

Now, Representative Clemens of L4 stood to address Pentane,

"Good sir, we know of the groups whom you are speaking of. Yet, we of the colonies can assure you that our people only wish to continue the peace that has existed for the past few years."

"Do you?" replied Pentane sharply. "Then what, may I ask, have you done to stop these… rebels? From what I have heard, ladies and gentlemen, no course of action has yet been made to find these groups."

"If you please Senator Pentane," replied Relena calmly. She didn't like the accusing tone of his voice. Things were indeed going no where.

"I beg your pardon, Minister Darlian," he replied with a bit more composure. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I have a proposal to make to all of you. Peace can not be obtained through matters of negotiations…"

"What do you mean?" asked Relena suddenly.

"What I mean is that…." Pentane stopped suddenly. He looked at the glass of water that was set before him on the table. The water was shaking inside of the glass.

Relena slowly stood on her feet. She could feel the ground moving below her slightly. The small tremors soon began to grow stronger. Members of the ESUN began to shift uncomfortably, fear starting to grip their senses. Relena shifted her gaze towards the windows of the large conference room. She froze with terror. Others also looked too.

Screams soon were rising as people frantically started to run for the doors of the room. Running for their lives. Relena knew they would never make it on time, it would be just a matter of seconds. Instinctively, Relena ducked underneath the mahogany table in front of her.

The room shook and the people screamed louder. Suddenly Relena heard an explosion and felt heat fill the room, engulfing her senses. The last thing she remembered in her mind was the sight of the mobile suits coming towards the building. Then her world went black.


	2. Chapter 1

AN: I don't own Gundam Wing.

Relena felt her head spinning and the smell of smoke burning her lungs. She choked and forced her eyes open to gape at the sight that surrounded her. She slowly crawled on the ground out from underneath the table, but she could not force herself to stand up just yet. She felt too weak, and was trying to comprehend what had just happened. She then remembered the mobile suits, and squeezed her eyes shut tightly.

_Breathe, just breathe. You're alive you made it. Now you've got to make it out of here. _

Suddenly a moan from her left caused Relena to force open her eyes once more. She looked around and saw a hand sticking out from a pile of rubble. She crawled over as quickly as she could and removed the heavy burden from the weak body buried beneath it. She gasped as she saw the once proud face of Pentane staring up at her helplessly.

"Minister…" he choked.

"Shhhhhhh… don't try to speak. Save your strength. I'm going to help you get out of here," she replied soothingly.

Relena stood up and raised a large piece of plaster from the ceiling off of the Senator from North America. Then she saw the cause of his immense pain. A large, gaping wound lay just below his heart. She stifled a small cry and once again knelt down beside the man. All she could do now was grasp his hand and comfort him the best way possible.

"It's just as well," he choked again. "Although, I would rather not have died at the hands of terrorist. Minister Darlian…"

"Yes," she replied.

"Those suits…"

"I know. I know."

"Yet another attack upon earth. Another victory for them…" his voice began to fade as his eyes grew wide.

"What do you mean?" questioned Relena. As she spoke though, Pentane's hand went limp in her own. Relena could feel his life slip away through her hands. She released him and sat back. She sighed, gripped her head, and shut her eyes tightly. _This can't be happening. This can't be happening._ She snapped herself from her thoughts at the sound of voices.

"Is anyone alive in there? Please answer! Anyone?"

Relena recognized the voice immediately.

"Over here! Quickly!" she replied.

Moments later, a young Chinese man, no older than Relena, came into view. Several other men and women followed him dressed in Preventers uniforms. Wufei Chang threw aside rubble and debris and soon reached a shaky, but safe Relena.

"Do you have any injuries?" he asked.

"No I am fine, thank you. But there are so many others," concern evident in her tone.

"Come on," he said and helped the young Vice Minister up and out of the ruined conference room. The two of them rushed outside of the building, which to Relena seemed an even bigger catastrophe than the conference room. It was evident that the mobile suits had opened fire on the streets as well.

"Sally!" called Wufei as he walked briskly over towards a young woman in a uniform much like his own. She apparently did not hear him, for she was busy barking out orders to other Preventers.

"Stupid onna," whispered Wufei under his breath. Relena wasn't even in the mood for Wufei's mutterings about women. She was just grateful he had helped out of the building.

At last Sally turned around and recognized them. As she saw Relena, relief spread throughout her weary face.

"Thank God, you're alive. Wufei get her out of here fast. Take her to Preventers headquarters immediately!"

Preventers HQ…

Milliardo Peacecraft had been pacing Lady Une's office for the past two hours. As soon as he had heard about the attack he insisted that he go to the building where Relena had been. Lady Une suggested that he wait at headquarters, and at this indigenous request he became infuriated. Several officers practically had to drag him into the Commander's office. Only after Lucrezia Noin had arrived to sit with him did the platinum-haired man decide to relax.

"She made it, Zechs, I know she did," said Noin soothingly.

He looked up into her gentle eyes. He just couldn't relax until he knew for sure. Relena was his younger sister and the only family he had left. After he wasn't allowed to go with a group of Preventers to the attack site, his next thought was to find a mobile suit and destroy the suits that had attacked the building she was in earlier. But, he knew that his rash actions were precarious and they would only cause much more trouble.

So thus he was left to wait, and wait he did. He must have paced the large office hundreds of times. He could feel a cold sweat coming over his skin, and he felt his hands shaking uncontrollably with fear of the worst. Finally he forced himself to take a seat next to Noin.

She, although doing much better than her fiancé, held the same fear deep inside her heart. _I must remain strong for him. _Silently she prayed for the safety of the young woman whom she sometimes referred to as a younger sister. Noin reached out her white hand and touched the man sitting across from her. She smiled reassuringly, and although it may not have been the best comfort to offer, for now it was the only she knew he would allow her to give until further word of Relena.

Suddenly Lady Une rushed through her office door. Worry lines creased her face but relief was in her weary eyes. Noin and Zechs looked at her hopefully as she spoke,

"She's safe and on her way here. She will be arriving with Captain Chang in ten minutes by chopper."

Zechs ran out of the office and down the hallway, Noin and Lady Une following closely on his heels. Finally catching up with him, the three Preventers made their way towards the large landing pad on the roof of the headquarters. Once outside, Zechs raised his eyes towards the sky looking for any sign of a helicopter making its way towards the base. Minutes passed and Zechs grew impatient and anxious. Finally Noin cried out,

"There they are, over there!"

Zechs turned abruptly to see a large military helicopter approaching the landing pad. The helicopter landed swiftly, and several uniformed men hopped out. One by one, they began to pull out the injured that they had obtained from the wreckage of the building. Medics from the base placed them on stretchers and immediately they were carried away to the infirmary.

Finally a Chinese man hopped out of the large chopper. He turned around and lent his hand to a slender young woman, who appeared to have only obtained minor injuries from the attack.

"Relena! Thank God!" cried Zechs as he ran over to her. He embraced her small frame tightly causing the girl to gasp for air. Yet she held on to him, never the less, a feeling of security washing over her.

Noin released the breath she never knew she was holding. She felt Lady Une press a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She looked up at the head of the Preventers and smiled gratefully.

"I'm all right Milliardo, I'm all right," Relena cried as she sobbed into his chest.

To be continued…


	3. Chapter 2

AN: I don't own Gundam Wing.

Relena felt her head spinning and the smell of smoke burning her lungs. She choked and forced her eyes open to gape at the sight that surrounded her. She slowly crawled on the ground out from underneath the table, but she could not force herself to stand up just yet. She felt too weak, and was trying to comprehend what had just happened. She then remembered the mobile suits, and squeezed her eyes shut tightly.

_Breathe, just breathe. You're alive you made it. Now you've got to make it out of here. _

Suddenly a moan from her left caused Relena to force open her eyes once more. She looked around and saw a hand sticking out from a pile of rubble. She crawled over as quickly as she could and removed the heavy burden from the weak body buried beneath it. She gasped as she saw the once proud face of Pentane staring up at her helplessly.

"Minister…" he choked.

"Shhhhhhh… don't try to speak. Save your strength. I'm going to help you get out of here," she replied soothingly.

Relena stood up and raised a large piece of plaster from the ceiling off of the Senator from North America. Then she saw the cause of his immense pain. A large, gaping wound lay just below his heart. She stifled a small cry and once again knelt down beside the man. All she could do now was grasp his hand and comfort him the best way possible.

"It's just as well," he choked again. "Although, I would rather not have died at the hands of terrorist. Minister Darlian…"

"Yes," she replied.

"Those suits…"

"I know. I know."

"Yet another attack upon earth. Another victory for them…" his voice began to fade as his eyes grew wide.

"What do you mean?" questioned Relena. As she spoke though, Pentane's hand went limp in her own. Relena could feel his life slip away through her hands. She released him and sat back. She sighed, gripped her head, and shut her eyes tightly. _This can't be happening. This can't be happening._ She snapped herself from her thoughts at the sound of voices.

"Is anyone alive in there? Please answer! Anyone?"

Relena recognized the voice immediately.

"Over here! Quickly!" she replied.

Moments later, a young Chinese man, no older than Relena, came into view. Several other men and women followed him dressed in Preventers uniforms. Wufei Chang threw aside rubble and debris and soon reached a shaky, but safe Relena.

"Do you have any injuries?" he asked.

"No I am fine, thank you. But there are so many others," concern evident in her tone.

"Come on," he said and helped the young Vice Minister up and out of the ruined conference room. The two of them rushed outside of the building, which to Relena seemed an even bigger catastrophe than the conference room. It was evident that the mobile suits had opened fire on the streets as well.

"Sally!" called Wufei as he walked briskly over towards a young woman in a uniform much like his own. She apparently did not hear him, for she was busy barking out orders to other Preventers.

"Stupid onna," whispered Wufei under his breath. Relena wasn't even in the mood for Wufei's mutterings about women. She was just grateful he had helped out of the building.

At last Sally turned around and recognized them. As she saw Relena, relief spread throughout her weary face.

"Thank God, you're alive. Wufei get her out of here fast. Take her to Preventers headquarters immediately!"

Preventers HQ…

Milliardo Peacecraft had been pacing Lady Une's office for the past two hours. As soon as he had heard about the attack he insisted that he go to the building where Relena had been. Lady Une suggested that he wait at headquarters, and at this indigenous request he became infuriated. Several officers practically had to drag him into the Commander's office. Only after Lucrezia Noin had arrived to sit with him did the platinum-haired man decide to relax.

"She made it, Zechs, I know she did," said Noin soothingly.

He looked up into her gentle eyes. He just couldn't relax until he knew for sure. Relena was his younger sister and the only family he had left. After he wasn't allowed to go with a group of Preventers to the attack site, his next thought was to find a mobile suit and destroy the suits that had attacked the building she was in earlier. But, he knew that his rash actions were precarious and they would only cause much more trouble.

So thus he was left to wait, and wait he did. He must have paced the large office hundreds of times. He could feel a cold sweat coming over his skin, and he felt his hands shaking uncontrollably with fear of the worst. Finally he forced himself to take a seat next to Noin.

She, although doing much better than her fiancé, held the same fear deep inside her heart. _I must remain strong for him. _Silently she prayed for the safety of the young woman whom she sometimes referred to as a younger sister. Noin reached out her white hand and touched the man sitting across from her. She smiled reassuringly, and although it may not have been the best comfort to offer, for now it was the only she knew he would allow her to give until further word of Relena.

Suddenly Lady Une rushed through her office door. Worry lines creased her face but relief was in her weary eyes. Noin and Zechs looked at her hopefully as she spoke,

"She's safe and on her way here. She will be arriving with Captain Chang in ten minutes by chopper."

Zechs ran out of the office and down the hallway, Noin and Lady Une following closely on his heels. Finally catching up with him, the three Preventers made their way towards the large landing pad on the roof of the headquarters. Once outside, Zechs raised his eyes towards the sky looking for any sign of a helicopter making its way towards the base. Minutes passed and Zechs grew impatient and anxious. Finally Noin cried out,

"There they are, over there!"

Zechs turned abruptly to see a large military helicopter approaching the landing pad. The helicopter landed swiftly, and several uniformed men hopped out. One by one, they began to pull out the injured that they had obtained from the wreckage of the building. Medics from the base placed them on stretchers and immediately they were carried away to the infirmary.

Finally a Chinese man hopped out of the large chopper. He turned around and lent his hand to a slender young woman, who appeared to have only obtained minor injuries from the attack.

"Relena! Thank God!" cried Zechs as he ran over to her. He embraced her small frame tightly causing the girl to gasp for air. Yet she held on to him, never the less, a feeling of security washing over her.

Noin released the breath she never knew she was holding. She felt Lady Une press a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She looked up at the head of the Preventers and smiled gratefully.

"I'm all right Milliardo, I'm all right," Relena cried as she sobbed into his chest.

To be continued…


	4. Chapter 3

AN: Disclaimer- I do not own Gundam Wing. I am simply borrowing the characters to make up this story which is completely my own. If I borrow any ideas I will be sure to cite them. Anyway… I hope that you enjoy the next part of the fic! Like always give me some feedback!

Heero Yuy sat in the kitchen of Duo and Hilde's home while Duo took a shower. Hilde was preparing some coffee and offered the former Zero pilot a cup. He accepted, nodding his head slightly, as a sign of appreciation.

Hilde smiled and sat across from him. She studied him for a moment. She hadn't seen the young man in nearly two years. It was clear that he had grown taller and more attractive, but it was also clear that his soldier's presence still surrounded him like an aura. The way he walked and moved his body showed that he possessed strength unknown to most men. His eyes, oh his eyes, in their icy blue depths, still reflected the bitterness of war.

Hilde felt herself shiver slightly. Heero looked over at her, an odd expression on his face that was quickly wiped away by an emotionless stare. Hilde only smiled and turned as she heard Duo enter the kitchen to join them. He pulled out a chair and sat down next to Hilde.

"So Heero, long time no see. What brings you here?" asked the braided pilot as he took a sip of coffee that Hilde offered him.

"I am quite sure that you are fully aware of the attacks that occurred yesterday," replied Heero.

Duo looked down at his coffee mug. You had to be blind and deaf to have not heard of them. "Yeah, to tell you the truth buddy. It's been keeping me awake. Why do you think I was out in the garage so late? Anyway, what's really worrying me is this: the people of Earth are immediately blaming the colonies, just because we didn't get attacked. It's not good and I feel like I should be doing something to help but I can't."

"You're not as dumb as I took you for Maxwell," was Heero's only reply.

Duo and Hilde looked at each other. Hilde spoke first,

"Heero why exactly are you here? We both know this isn't for just some friendly visit. You're not telling us something."

Heero reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the two disks. He laid them onto the table and slid them over towards Duo. "This data was almost taken from me yesterday afternoon. Someone broke into my apartment on L1 and tried to abduct it. Fortunately, I was able to make it home in time before they had the chance to get away."

"What's on here, Heero?" asked Duo as he picked up a disk to look at it.

"Why don't you look for yourself?"

Duo motioned for Hilde to go get their laptop. She left the kitchen and soon returned with the portable computer and placed it gently down on the table. Duo turned it on and inserted the first disk and waited. As the information loaded onto the computer, Duo's eyes began to grow wide with excitement.

"Heero!" he gasped. "Do you… oh my God, it can't be!"

Hilde, confused, looked at her best friend. Duo, seeing her puzzlement turned the screen towards her so she could see.

"No way…" she muttered in disbelief. "These are the layout plans for all the Gundams."

"What are you doing with these? I mean... how did you get them?" Duo asked in disbelief.

"They have been in my possession for quite some time, given to me by Dr. J," replied Heero in his usual monotone voice.

"I'm not even going to bother to ask about that crazy old S.O.B," muttered Duo. Heero narrowed his eyes slightly but simply shrugged off the braided young man's remark. Duo continued, "Heero, I don't understand. I thought all information regarding the Gundams were destroyed when _we destroyed them._"

"This is the only remaining information left about the Gundams, according to Dr. J. He gave it to me in hopes that the information would be kept safe. So far it has been, until yesterday when I found someone was trying to abduct it."

"Why didn't Dr. J just destroy all of the information regarding the Gundams?" inquired Hilde.

"This information has been kept hidden in the case of another war," replied Heero flatly.

Realization dawned on Duo just then. It all made perfect sense now. There could only be one reason why Heero was there. The recent terrorist attacks proved it all. "When do we leave for Earth?" he asked suddenly.

Heero looked at the braided young man, his cold Prussian eyes never leaving the soft violet ones. He had known that Duo would consent. It was his duty as a Gundam pilot. Not only that, whether Duo admitted it or not, in his heart, he was a soldier, fighting for the impossible cause of peace.

Hilde broke the silence that had filled the kitchen,

"What do you mean? Leave for Earth? I don't understand. Duo," she shook his arm gently, "Duo, please, why are you leaving?"

Duo looked up into the girl's soft blue eyes. The very eyes that read into his crimson soul. She was pleading with him, begging him to be honest.

"Hilde, if we don't do something, there is going to be war. The attacks on earth prove it. There are new mobile suits out there. They're attacking innocent people. The layout plans for the Gundams will be used to rebuild them," with that he looked away from her, his pleasant eyes growing dark and distant.

Hilde choked backed a silent sob and walked out of the kitchen. Duo heard her climb up the stairs, enter her room and shut the door. He let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. Looking up he saw that Heero was watching him intently. Finally Heero spoke up,

"We'll leave tomorrow morning on the first available shuttle flight to Cinq."

"Cinq?" asked Duo.

"Yes, Preventers Headquarters. I must speak with Commander Une immediately."

"Heero, what about the others? Quatre, Trowa, and Wufei?"

"Once we arrive on Earth, all will follow according to plan."

"Whatever you say man," replied Duo as he grabbed the end of his braid and toyed with it. It was a nervous habit he had picked up.

Later that evening…

After Duo had settled Heero on the couch for the night, he wearily climbed the stairs towards his own room. He lay down on his bed, and stared into the darkness. Tired as he was, he found he couldn't sleep, not yet. He creased his brow in worry as he thought of Hilde, who had not reappeared from her room the rest of the evening.

Duo found that he had been in love with Hilde since the moment he met her. Though he also realized that he was too scared to admit it to her. For years they had been living together, confiding in each other's friendship and strength. Duo knew that Hilde cared for him a great deal, yet to the extent of her care, he wasn't sure of.

Soft cries could be heard through the walls of the room adjacent to his own. Duo strained to make sure he had heard them correctly. Upon hearing the faint cries again, Duo arose from his bed and made his way out into the hallway. He paused at the door next to his room. He felt his pulse quicken, and an uneasy feeling cling inside of his gut. Slowly, he opened the door to Hilde's room.

The lights were on and Hilde looked up as she saw her best friend enter. She wiped away the tears that were streaming down her cheeks. She hated it when Duo saw her cry. In fact she hardly ever did anymore. She had been so happy the past couple of years, nothing serious seemed to ever happen anymore.

"Hilde, babe, you OK?" asked Duo meekly.

"I'm fine, Duo," she replied flatly.

Duo stepped into the room and sat down next to her on the bed. They sat in silence for awhile. Duo never took his eyes off of Hilde, who as it seemed, simply refused to look at him. After some time, Duo broke the silence,

"I know you don't want me to go. But, babe, I have to."

"I know," she choked. "It's just, the thought of losing you, Duo. I don't know what I would do. Sometimes I think that you're the reason while I'm still here. Don't you realize how much you mean to me?" she asked turning her head to meet his eyes.

Duo felt his heart skip a beat at her heart wrenching words. "Hilde, do you really mean that?"

She looked down at her lap where she had folded her hands. "Yeah, I do. I know it may sound stupid and sentimental, but I want you to know that… that," she faltered and looked up at his face again. Tears were starting to well up in her eyes, once more. "God, why does this have to be so hard?" she sobbed.

Duo couldn't contain himself any longer. He pulled Hilde close to him and kissed her softly. She seemed startled at first, but soon melted into his arms. She returned his kiss fully and with more passion than Duo had expected. They broke apart, and Hilde looked up at him, her blue eyes shining with a new light. Duo smiled so broadly that Hilde couldn't help but laugh. Suddenly, she grew serious once more as she looked at his eyes,

"Take me with you?" she pleaded.

"Hilde…"

"Please?"

Duo looked at her gravely, knowing that he couldn't leave her behind to wait. He wanted to be with her more than any thing right now anyway. He smiled at her and nodded his head yes. Then he took her into his arms and kissed her once more.

AN: I realize that this fic has been sort of slow o start out with, but please bear with me and wait for the next chapters to come. I had to throw in some Duo and Hilde romance here. The rest of the fic will focus mainly on Heero and Relena and the progression of the up-and-coming war that the pilots must stop. Please R&R.


	5. Chapter 4

AN: Once again, things may be slow but eventually the pace shall quicken up and the story will become more exciting. I do neither own Gundam Wing nor any of its characters.

Relena sat in the gardens behind the Peacecraft mansion. She closed her eyes, breathed in the fresh air, and absorbed the sunlight. She had arrived home late last night, and was exhausted from the current events that had taken place. Despite Pagan's insistence that she remain indoors for the day, Relena retreated to the gardens where she could clear her mind and think about the current situation.

War was coming; at least it would come soon, if something were not done about it. With mobile suits consistently attacking the earth and no one to blame but colonial groups, it would only be a matter of time. None of the delegates of the ESUN wanted to cooperate either. _The real problem is that no one trusts anyone._ Relena sighed and opened her sapphire eyes. Time was not on her side. Time was what she so desperately needed.

The sun was beginning to set as Relena stood to go back inside the mansion. She needed to talk to Milliardo and Noin. She had been seeking their advice and guidance quite often as of late.

Relena entered through the back kitchen door and greeted Pagan who appeared to be waiting for her. He cleared his throat and spoke,

"Miss Relena, your presence has been requested at the Preventers base immediately."

"Thank you, Pagan. Please prepare the car while I get ready."

"Yes, Miss Relena."

Preventers HQ…

Lady Une sat at her desk, filling out reports regarding the attacks. A knock was heard at her door. "Enter," she replied without looking up from her work.

Zechs and Noin walked into the spacious office and saluted their Commander. In return, Lady Une nodded and motioned for the two of them to relax.

"Are there any new developments?" she inquired.

"None regarding the attacks," replied Noin. "However, we have just learned that all open seats to the ESUN have been filled in."

Startled by this statement, Lady Une stopped her work and looked at the two officers. "So soon? It's hardly been two days since the attacks. You're saying that all eight positions have been filled?"

"Yes," replied Noin. "They were elected immediately following the attacks."

"Does the Vice Minister know about this?"

"Yes, she was informed early this morning," was Zechs reply.

"Did she approve of the new delegates?"

"She really had no choice. The positions had to be filled somehow. If not, all hell would break lose. Not that it hasn't already," Zechs added at the end of his statement.

"Relena is on her way here right now to discuss any more details regarding the current situation," said Noin.

Lady Une paused deep in thought. Though to others it may have seemed a normal operation, but the fact that the positions in the ESUN had been filled so quickly worried the head of the Preventers. It all seemed too strange, as if it had already been planned. Almost as if someone knew of the coming attacks and made preparations for it. _Someone who is inside of the ESUN._ Lady Une was snapped from her thoughts from a knock on her office door.

"Enter," she replied. Upon her approval, an officer entered the room and saluted to his Commander and fellow officers.

"Commander, there are three visitors outside who wish to see you."

"Who is it? I really have no time right now to socialize."

"I didn't get all of their names but one of them is a… Heero Yuy?"

Lady Une's eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Noin and Zechs. They seemed to feel the same way from the expressions on their faces. She saw Zechs clench his fist and straighten to his fullest height.

"Send them in," commanded Lady Une.

The officer nodded and exited the room. Moments later, the door opened again and in walked a young man with a long braid accompanied by a young woman with short raven hair. They smiled warmly at the occupants of the room. Seconds later, their companion strode into the room, quietly. His unruly hair fell about his face shadowing his eyes. He stood calmly and collectively as he surveyed his surroundings.

"It is good to see that all of you are well," said Lady Une with some warmth. "What may I ask is your business here?"

Duo looked at Heero motioning for him to speak. Heero cleared his throat slightly and began. His voice was deep and empty,

"I have some information regarding the recent… situation."

"Well, why does this not surprise me too much?" mumbled Zechs under his breath. Noin gently nudged him, motioning for him to remain silent.

"Well then, please do share it with us, Heero," replied the Commander.

"May I?" asked the former Zero pilot as he motioned at the computer on Lady Une's desk.

"Of course."

Heero pulled the two disks he had been carrying for the past couple of days, out of his jacket. He slid the first one into the computer and waited for the information to upload on the screen. The other occupants of the room pressed closely together to receive a better view. Finally, the information on the disk unfolded, and all in the room stared in wonder.

"How long have you had this information?" asked Noin.

"A long time," was Heero's flat reply.

Lady Une pressed the intercom button on her desk, "Get me Captains Chang and Poe into my office at once." Turning to face Heero she said, "I know what you are thinking Yuy, but I doubt that it would work."

"What exactly are you thinking?" questioned Zechs.

"To rebuild the Gundams," was Duo's reply.

"There's not enough time to do that," said Noin. "There's no way we could rebuild all five of them within a couple of days. It could take months, maybe a year to rebuild them perfectly. We do not have time. Nor do we have the material."

"We can provide the material," put in Hilde as Duo gave her an approving glance.

"Yes, but with things going the way they are right now, time is not on our side."

"Then we shall have to make time," said Heero calmly.

Everyone turned to look at him. Zechs clenched his fists tighter than before. _This is going no where._ Suddenly, the door opened and in walked Wufei and Sally, who both stopped as soon as they saw the three unexpected guest that were also in the room.

"What is going on in here?" asked Wufei.

"If you will both give me a chance to explain…" said Lady Une, but her phone ringing interrupted her.

"Yes?" she said as she listened. "Very well, we shall meet in conference room A. Tell her we shall be there in a few minutes." She set the phone down and looked at the room's occupants.

"The Vice Foreign Minister has arrived and is waiting for me to meet her. I am inviting all of you to come. There I shall explain the situation at hand."

Relena sat in the cool conference room alone. She was fidgeting, moving around in her leather seat, trying to reach a comfortable position. Giving up, she stood from her chair and began to walk around the room. She wiped the sweat from her brow and took a deep breath. She was so tired, tired of all of this. It was beginning to take its toll on her body.

"Stay strong," she told herself. "Don't let them know what you are really thinking."

At the sound of the door opening, Relena jumped slightly and turned around to greet her visitors. In walked, not only the head of Preventers, but, her brother, Noin, Wufei, Sally, and to her great surprise Duo and Hilde. Relena smiled warmly at all of them but her smile faded as the last visitor stepped through the door to the meeting room.

As Heero Yuy walked through the door, Relena almost gasped aloud. She hadn't seen or heard from him in over two years, no one had. He stared at her, as she did him, his eyes piercing through her own, making her emotional wall crumble. She quickly sensed this and wiped away the dumbfounded look that had crossed her face. A little embarrassed by her actions Relena simply nodded to all in the room and took a seat. The others followed her suit.

"Minister Darlian and those who have not yet heard this information," started Lady Une. "As you well know, mobile suits have been attacking various places on earth, each place being very highly regarded in the ESUN in terms of delegates. During the attack on the ESUN conference that was held here in Cinq the other day, eight members of the committee were killed. All eight were delegates of Earth. Now, only days after the attacks, all eight positions have been filled. You have approved of this Minister Darlian, am I correct?"

Relena knew of what the Commander was speaking of. She cleared her throat and spoke in her diplomatic voice. She was firm but steady with her words,

"Yes, I have approved. All eight candidates were qualified and approved by the rest of the committee. I understand your concern for the haste of this situation, but without a balance between the members of the colonies and earth, nothing would be accomplished in this dire time of need. I am meeting with each of the new delegates tomorrow at a conference."

Lady Une nodded approvingly toward the young woman. Though she trusted Relena, she was still unsure of herself about the positions in the ESUN being filled too quickly. However, she pushed these thoughts aside and told herself that it was necessary due to the present circumstances. There were other matters that needed to be discussed.

"Very well then. But now, Minister Darlian, there is another more important matter that needs to be discussed with you. This matter regards our means of …defense should the mobile suits attack again."

Relena straightened her posture to her fullest and tried to remain calm for what she was about to hear next. She glanced around the room quickly noticing all eyes were fixed on her. _They all know something._ She however, remained dignified as she spoke for the Commander to continue,

"Go on."

"We have little time before an all out war commences," started Lady Une "but, with what time we do have we are going to try our best to make the most of it."

"What did you have in mind?" asked Relena.

Lady Une now arose from her seat and began to slowly walk around the room. She suddenly found herself feeling cramped into a small space. She knew what she had to say next was extremely serious. She also knew that the young woman, who was so highly regarded in the ESUN, would never approve of the actions they wished to take.

"We are suggesting to rebuild the five Gundams: Wing Zero, Deathscythe, Altron, Heavyarms, and Sandrock."

Wufei and Sally, who had not yet heard this new information, looked around at each other and then at their commander. Wufei nodded understandingly towards Heero and Duo. HE then bowed his head and closed his eyes thinking to himself. _I shall battle once more so that justice may prevail._

Relena watched everyone in the room intently. On the outside she forced herself to remain calm and collective. Yet inside, she was running around in a nightmare screaming to wake up.

"You know that I shall never approve of such an idea," stated Relena as calmly as possible.

"Relena," said Zechs as he stood from his seat to walk over to her.

"Milliardo, no, I can not approve."

"Relena please, hear me out. This must be done"

"Milliardo, if I approve of this then it shall most certainly go against everything that I have ever stood for. It goes against everything that the entire ESUN has ever stood for. Even if we must use mobile suits, the Preventers have suits that are adequate enough to defend against another attack or war."

Zechs sighed heavily. He did not wish to tell his younger sister the next thing that was about to come out of his mouth but it had to be done. It was the only way they would ever convince her.

"Now if you'll all excuse me," said Relena as she turned to exit the conference room.

"The enemy has a Gundam suit," said Zechs before she took another step toward the door.

Relena stopped immediately. She slowly turned around to face her brother, her eyes reflecting worry, concern, and though it was almost inaudible, fear. She closed her eyes and counted to ten slowly, trying to keep her composure.

"How long were you going to wait to tell me this?"

"Yeah, how long?" questioned Duo, he too, being surprised at the new information. The others all looked at him. He felt Hilde elbow him to be silent. Duo sank into his seat.

"We wanted to make sure that there would be no other possible way to defeat them," said Zechs.

Relena looked down at the ground pain evident in the depths of her sapphire eyes. She spoke quietly, "How long will it take to rebuild them all?"

Startled by her question, Zechs remained silent. Noin was the next to speak up, "A couple of months at the least."

"We may not even have that much time," said Relena sadly.

All in the room were silent. Relena walked around and peered out of a small window. It was raining outside. The world seemed to be falling apart. She felt helpless, as if there was nothing she could do to stop the oncoming war_._ Suddenly an idea hit her.

"I have an idea."

Everyone looked at her. She did not let her gaze leave the window, however. She spoke solemnly, the words rolling out of her mouth as if on their own,

"For the next couple of months, I shall go on a tour throughout the colonies. There I shall discuss problems with the colonial leaders and find out all that I can about rebel groups that are said to be causing these attacks. This should hopefully give you enough time to rebuild the Gundams."

"Relena, it is far too dangerous for you to be taking up such an ordeal. You could be killed."

"Zechs it might just work," said Noin. "The Earth is blaming the colonies. The colonies believe that they are being blamed for actions that are not even their own. If Relena goes as a representative for the ESUN she may be able to negotiate with the colonies and find out if they are really to blame. If so, this may be settled with out a war after all."

"Yes," put in Lady Une, "but in the meantime, if things do not work out, and the attacks continue, the Gundams will be built and ready to use for defense."

"That all sounds very well," said Zechs, "but, the colonies may not trust Relena even though she is well-liked. She still is from earth, being Vice Foreign Minister does not make her a colonist."

"Milliardo, I can assure that I will be fine," insisted Relena as she turned to meet his worried gaze.

"Relena, I must agree with Zechs on that point," stated Noin.

Relena refused to give up however. If she could find a way to prevent a war peacefully she would find a way to do it. What she needed was someone from the colonies to travel with her. They had to be well liked, and trusted by both the Earth and colonies. The headstrong young woman smiled slightly as only one person came to mind,

"Quatre Winner could travel with me. He would find out about this anyhow if the Gundams are to be rebuilt. Although he is not a member of the ESUN, he is highly regarded by both people of the colonies and the Earth."

Lady Une, Noin, and Zechs all looked at each other. She had made her point and now there was no stopping her.

"Very well," said Lady Une. "I shall contact Mr. Winner, immediately. As for everyone else, I am expecting you all to be back here tomorrow morning. By then the plans concerning the Gundams and the Minister's tour shall be drawn up. Until then I suggest that everyone gets some rest." With that the head of the Preventers left the room motioning for Sally and Wufei to follow her.

Relena sighed and turned once more to look out the window. Her voice came softly as she addressed the remaining occupants of the room,

"Duo, Hilde, Heero, you may all stay at the mansion if you like. I suppose that tomorrow will be a busy day."

"Thank you, Relena" said Hilde.

Zechs reached out to touch Relena's shoulder but she simply shrugged him off. He turned and left the room, knowing that she wished to be alone at the moment.

Noin suddenly found herself feeling very uncomfortable. She looked at Relena and then at the room's silent occupants.

"If you three would come with me, I'll take you to the mansion and settle you in." With that Noin turned on her heel and left the room. Duo and Hilde got out of their chairs to follow her. Soon the only remaining people in the room were the Heero and Relena.

Heero had remained quiet the entire time. He sat absorbing the information that was being given. Of course, he had already known most of it. He now watched the young woman who was before him. She hardly seemed to notice his presence in the room. Years ago she probably would have tried to talk to him, but now she was quiet. To Heero, it looked as if a part of her had died, the fire that he normally saw in her eyes when she was around him had died.

He noted that her physical appearance had changed also. She had grown into a matured young woman, no longer the girl she had once been. Her hair was longer: it spilled down her back like a waterfall. She had also grown out her light bangs. Her eyes were still beautiful sapphires they had always been though. Heero made another note: she had grown up way before her time. They both had.

Relena could feel his cold Prussian eyes watching her every move. It made her feel uneasy to not know what he was thinking. It felt strange seeing him again. The emotions that ran through her body confused and frightened her. She could stand it no longer. She slowly turned around to face him, her eyes meeting his steady gaze.

"What are you looking at, Heero?" she asked him softly.

Heero stood and rose from his chair. Her question had somewhat startled him. He supposed that wasn't the kind of question he would have thought her to ask. Then again, she always had been one to surprise him.

"I was looking at you," he answered as he walked out of the door leaving her alone with her thoughts.

AN: Hey this chapter is complete! The last part of this chapter between Heero and Relena is meant to have a deeper meaning than it sounds. Please read it carefully it you did not understand. The next chapter is coming along steadily. Always please R&R.


	6. Chapter 5

AN: I am so sorry if this chapter is a little weak to you all. I had a huge case of writer's block. I know exactly how I want this troy to play out the only part is writing it is a totally different task. Please keep reading. Thank you.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing.

Zechs sat in his private study. He stared straight ahead, deep in thought. He sighed stretched and arose from his chair. He looked out of the window at the night sky. The stars sparkled and Zechs separated them from the colony clusters. It was then that he felt her presence. He could feel her moving towards him, her soft steps barely audible. Finally he felt her hand upon his shoulder. He spun around to meet her.

"What do you think?" asked Noin in a soft voice. "Do you think that all of this could work?"

"I have faith in Relena, I believe that if anyone can put a stop to chaos she can. There is just something in her: the way she moves and speaks, and how easily she gets along with others. That's something I could never do."

Noin frowned and her eyes showed concern.

"You still hide behind a mask, Milliardo," she said using his real name. "When are you going to understand that you are capable of such things also? Do not deem yourself unworthy…"

"I am unworthy," he replied coldly. "I have scorned a name that brings hope and peace to many. I have too much blood on my hands, Lucrezia. I am not worthy to carry such a name."

"That's not true. Relena believes in you. I believe in you," Noin said quietly. She looked away from his face and down at the floor. "I always have," she added.

Zechs sighed heavily at her words. He knew she was right. He just would never admit it to anyone else. He turned once more to look outside of the window. To him, the stars didn't seem to shine as bright anymore.

Heero walked through the gardens of the Peacecraft mansion. He needed a place to think; a place where he could clear his mind. The enemy had a Gundam. This was something that he had not known. It had somewhat surprised him. He wondered who would be capable of building one. The material was not easy to find; it was rare in fact. Preventers would barely have enough to reconstruct the original five Gundams, despite the material Duo and Hilde were going to provide.

Heero leaned against a large willow tree that overlooked a small pond. The moon light reflected off of the water, giving it a silver glow. Heero peered into the water and stared at his reflection. His long hair fell about his face, shading his eyes. Heero brushed it aside from his forehead and peered in closer. A sudden noise from behind caused him to snap and turn around. Heero drew his gun and pointed it at his intruder.

"Jesus, I can tell you haven't lost your touch," mumbled Duo as he approached the armed young man.

"Hn," was Heero's only reply as he gracefully lowered his gun. He turned once more to look into the water.

Duo kicked around at the grass that lay by his feet. He then grabbed the end of his braid and started to fiddle with it. He cleared his throat loudly so that he could get Heero's attention. Of course this didn't seem to affect the Zero pilot at all, so Duo asked Heero the question he had wanted to ask for the past couple of days.

"Heero, why are you here? I mean, why are you doing this?"

"It is not only my duty, but our duty as Gundam pilots to maintain the peace that so many people have fought to gain," replied Heero without turning around.

Duo sighed. Heero would never be able to see life as more than a mission. He would never see anything as more than a mission. Even the people around him, the people who cared for his well being. Heero did not even care enough for himself. He cared not whether he lived or died; he was a soldier, cold and resentful. This is what Duo pitied about him most of all, but Duo also learned that no one should ever pity Heero Yuy. The Perfect Soldier had seen and done too much to need pity, and was too cold to want it.

Duo turned on his heels and walked away from the young man who was staring into the silver water. Knowing that the pilot of 02 was out of earshot, the young man spoke quietly in a monotone voice that was barely above a whisper,

"I also have a promise to keep."

The following morning at the ESUN committee meeting…

Relena felt dizzy. Her head was pounding and she felt as if she could hardly breathe. She was dressed in her formal diplomatic clothing, in order to greet the new members of the ESUN. Yet she fought with herself, and somehow managed to keep her composure during the long ordeal.

Finally it was over. Relena moved quickly out of the meeting room. She needed fresh air. She also needed to get to Preventers Headquarters as quickly as possible. The ESUN just approved of her idea to tour the colonies. Members from both sides of the present feud thought it an excellent move. Though many also were against it. Either way, the Vice Foreign Minister was to leave for space immediately.

Relena tried to loosen her collar a bit as she headed for the door. She was stifling. The building was swarming with people, mainly extra security due to the recent attacks. Finally she reached the front doors and was just about to step outside when someone shouted her name. Relena spun around to meet a tall man about her brother's age, with raven colored hair and the same color of eyes. Relena noticed that above the man's left brow was a crescent scar. Also, though he appeared not to be a threat, Relena felt a somewhat fearful presence engulf her when he drew closer towards her.

"Minister Darlian," he said in a deep voice.

"Yes, how may I help you?" she replied wishing more than ever that she could leave.

"My name is Bret Mavica. I am the newly appointed representative from North America."

"Oh yes, I do remember you being announced. You are replacing Senator Pentane," replied Relena as she remembered the man who had just died in her arms only days earlier.

"Yes," replied Mavica. "He was a good man, and I have always been thoughtful and supported his ideas."

"I'm sure. Representative Mavica, I am so sorry but I really must be leaving now. I have a very important meeting to attend to regarding the colonial tour. I'm sure you understand. I will be willing to talk to you as soon as soon as I can…" said Relena as she bowed to the man and started to turned toward the doors once more. Yet she felt her wrist being grasped as she was abruptly pulled back to meet Mavica once more.

"Why Minister Darlian, that is exactly what I wished to speak to you about."

"Please release me at once," commanded Relena trying to hide the emotion in her voice.

"Of course," he said in a somewhat mocking tone as he let her go. "Minister Darlian, might I say that this tour of yours is a bad idea."

Relena raised her head in curiosity and looked into the man's dark eyes. They were filled with an emotion unknown to her. Mavica continued,

"What makes you think that the colonist will cooperate in such an ordeal? As you can already see from the meeting we just attended, some share the same opinion as I."

"Yes, and some do not. What makes you think that this shall not work?" answered Relena.

Mavica smirked at the young woman after realizing that she had not answered his question at all. He knew that this was one of her political defense tactics.

"You have learned much from your years in the ESUN, Minister Darlian, but you are still young and have a long way to go. You can not stop a war that is already here."

"It's not here yet," replied Relena sharply as she turned from the man and made her way out the doors to her waiting car.

Preventers HQ…

All people who had been present at the meeting the previous day were now gathered once more into the same meeting room. They were just waiting for Relena's arrival so that they may begin. Suddenly the door to the room opened and in walked Relena, still dressed in her formal diplomatic clothing. Her cheeks were flushed and her sapphire eyes were steaming with anger and frustration. She sat down heavily in her seat and motioned for Lady Une to begin.

"I guess the meeting didn't go too well," Hilde whispered to Duo, who nodded his head.

"I'm glad to see everyone is here once more," started Lady Une. "I stayed up late last night to lay out the preparations for our plans. Please listen, and feel free to ask any questions. First off, I have spoken with Mr. Winner who has agreed to help and tour with the Vice Foreign Minister. I trust that you have told the ESUN about your plans?" she asked Relena.

Relena snapped her head up at the question. She was only half listening to what Lady Une had been saying. She mentally kicked herself for letting herself off guard and for not paying attention to the conversation.

"I have and although not all approve, I may still continue with the tour."

Milliardo shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Commander might I ask of her security measures?"

"Yes, they shall be at the fullest scale. I wanted to make sure that her bodyguards were the best available. Heero Yuy shall accompany her along with Trowa Barton whom Mr. Winner has taken the liberty to contact. As you know, Quatre Winner shall also secretly serve as her guard."

At this Zechs clenched his fist. He gripped the sides of his seat so hard that his knuckles became white. His face started to turn a crimson color. He breathed in heavily. Noin, who was seated next to him, gave him a warning glance. Zechs did his best to relax as he listened for Lady Une to continue,

"Now regarding the Gundams, I wish for this to remain confidential, the information being strictly forbidden outside of the Preventers. Near the colonies, the Preventers have a spaceport that contains mobile suits. These suits are to be used only under dire circumstances. Yet it is also there, that the reconstruction of the Gundams shall commence. It is an adequate place to gather materials from the salvage yard. Supervising reconstruction will be Duo Maxwell, Hilde Shelbeker, Wufei Chang, and Sally Poe.

"Injustice," snorted Wufei under his breath.

"I, too, shall also take leave from Preventers Headquarters and remain aboard the spaceport. Along with Zechs and Noin, I will try to find out as much information as possible about the current situation. I have made sure that everyone taking part in this operation will have easy access to one another. Everyone will be required to make a full report at the end of each day to me. The spaceport can be easily reached from each of the colonies so that if any emergencies arise, we can take care of it. Are there any questions?"

All in the room were silent. The only noise that was heard was that of Duo tapping his fingers lightly on the mahogany table. Lady Une looked each of the room's occupants in the eye.

"None of this information is to be leaked out. Is that understood? Very well then, Relena shall leave for colony L4 in approximately two days to meet Mr. Winner and start her tour. That is when everyone else shall leave also. This meeting is adjourned." Lady Une walked out of the room. Wufei and Sally quickly followed her.

Relena stood from her chair. She felt hotter than ever. Practically suffocating. She just wanted to leave and go home but there was one more matter she wished to discuss with her brother while she had the chance.

"Milliardo," she said, as he was about to exit the door. "There is something I must speak with you about. Today after my meeting, the new representative from North America confronted me about the tour."

"Yes, Bret Mavica, I have heard of him. What about it though?" he inquired.

"It wasn't his questions that startled me, it was the manner in which he approached me."

At this statement the remaining people in the meeting room listened closely.

"What do you mean?" asked Noin.

"I believe that we have reason to investigate him," said Relena as she rose form her seat. She had to walk around. She was dizzy and felt as if the room was collapsing on top of her.

"Whoa, Jousan you all right?" asked Duo.

Heero took a few cautious steps toward the young woman. She was gripping the table tightly. Beads of cold sweat were on her forehead. Her blue eyes were full of anxiety. Heero noticed, too, that she was breathing in small gasp, as if she were struggling for air.

Noin tried touching Relena's shoulder gently, but Relena shrugged her off.

"I'm fine, Noin."

"Relena, you're not fine," insisted Zechs.

"Milliardo, please!" Relena tried to shout but it came out only as a whisper. Relena's knees gave way and she felt herself falling. Yet, a pair of strong arms caught her and prevented her from hitting the ground. She opened her eyes to see a pair of deep Prussian ones looking at her intently. There was hardly any emotion in that glare, if there was, it was quickly washed away and replaced by the bitter stare that was present.

Zechs and Noin helped Heero pull Relena to her feet. Hilde and Duo also rushed over to help. They stood Relena up who was shaky but conscious. She looked so tired and frail.

"She needs to get some rest," said Zechs. "She's been so busy worrying about others lately she's not taking care of herself."

"Help me get her to the car," Noin said to Hilde.

Later that evening…

Relena slowly opened her eyes. She had been asleep for the entire afternoon. It felt so good to rest, yet it felt so foolish at the same time. She had made a fool of herself in front of others, carrying on the way she did. Of course she hadn't meant to, but that still didn't change how she felt.

"You're awake," said a soft voice. Noin appeared at the doorway to Relena's bedroom. She walked over to Relena and knelt down beside her. Relena looked away and out of the window.

"How are you feeling?"

"Foolish."

"Relena, you are way too hard on yourself. We all understand. You have been working so hard lately and barely been able to rest…"

"I wish not to speak of it anymore. I'm sure Milliardo will have a huge lecture coming about how I do not take care of myself. I'm sorry for what happened, Noin and I'm promise it won't happen again."

Noin sighed. She was just as stubborn as her older brother was. _I guess it runs in the family. _Noin smiled slightly at this thought.

"Well, Relena will you at least come downstairs an get something to eat?"

"No thank you, I'm fine right now."

"All right," said Noin as she turned to leave the room.

"Noin?"

Noin stopped and turned around to look back at the young woman who lay in the bed.

"Yes?" she replied softly.

"Thank you."

Heero stood once again by the pond in the garden. Once more he stared at his figure reflected in the silver, glittering water. Suddenly, Heero saw a man with platinum blonde hair standing next to him.

"Maxwell said I might find you here," said Zechs.

"I knew you would wish to speak with me," replied Heero flatly. The Gundam pilot turned around to face Zechs.

"I believe you also know what I am going to say," said Zechs.

"Hn."

"Don't go thinking that this is just any mission, Yuy. This is my sister's life. If anything happens to her, I don't know what I would do. I know that you and I have never agreed on hardly anything before, we probably never will, but don't let her get hurt. I don't trust very many people in this world, but right now I am saying that I trust you. As impossible as that may seem, I trust that you will keep her safe."

Heero stared at his former enemy. This was indeed a huge change. Heero judged it to be probably one of the most difficult that Zechs would ever have to make.

"Well, Yuy, what do you have to say?" asked Zechs impatiently.

"Mission…accepted."

AN: All right another chapter complete. It's gonna start to get really good from here on. Quatre and Trowa will be coming into the picture and more action will be coming up. I really hope that you are enjoying the story so far. Always R&R thank you so much.


	7. Chapter 6

AN: Hey another chapter is ready to go! I am really excited with the story is starting to unfold. I know exactly what I want to write, all the twists and turns, however, actually writing it takes more time than one would expect. However, I promise not to give up, and to continue on with this piece. Oh, I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.

"Goodbye, Milliardo. I will see in a few weeks."

"Please be careful, Relena," replied Zechs as he embraced his younger sister tightly. "Here I almost forgot to give this to you," he said as he reached into his pocket. He pulled out a silver pin that was made in the shape of a dove.

"It's not a gift, mind you. It's a tracking device so that we will know where you are at all times. Whether you like it or not you must wear this. I am under strict orders from Commander Une to give it to you."

"Normally I would protest, but right now I am not in the mood," said Relena smiling slightly as she pinned the silver dove onto her suit jacket. "All right. I really should be going, take care."

"You too."

Heero sat in the back of the private shuttle that Quatre had arranged for he and Relena to fly to L4 on. He looked out of the window; the stars seemed so brilliant. Earth was large and illustrious below him. He sighed and looked ahead at the empty seat in front of him. He thought he wouldn't have to fight anymore. He thought it was over and that his job was complete. But as time went on, he realized that the hate between men would never stop despite anyone's best efforts.

After the war, he didn't know what to do with himself. He thought of becoming a Preventer, but that meant he would still be a soldier. He had told Relena before he went away that he wouldn't have to fight anymore. So he left, wanting to find himself and what else he was capable of. For a while he designed software programs, trying to forget about his past life and start a new one. Yet at night, while he slept, the nightmares would come and memories would flood through him like a river. He usually would wake up in a cold sweat and remain awake for the rest of the night.

He couldn't understand exactly why he had the nightmares. They were usually about him failing to complete his mission. Yet each time he woke up, he couldn't remember what his mission was. The result in all of them was usually death, torment, and loneliness. The loneliness was usually the part that scared Heero the most.

This brought up another question in Heero's head. _Why should I be afraid to be alone when I have been so nearly all my life?_ He had never felt any real emotion up until the nightmares. It confused him greatly.

Heero snapped out of his thoughts and focused on what he really needed to focus on. He looked across the aisle towards the front where Relena sat fast asleep. Heero noted to keep a close watch on her and make sure she rested as often as possible: Especially since the incident that had occurred the other day. He didn't know what had made him catch her when she fell. He remembered holding her frail body so that she wouldn't hit the ground. It felt awkward to him, to do such a thing. He felt a strange emotion run through his body. Concern? He wasn't sure.

The pilot's voice over the intercom once again snapped Heero from his thoughts,

"We will be arriving in L4 within the next fifteen minutes."

At this Heero rose form his seat and walked toward the front of the shuttle. He sat next to the still sleeping Relena. She looked younger when she was asleep. As young as she was when Heero had first met her. In many ways she was still the same girl he had known. Yet in many other ways, she had grown and matured into a young woman, just as he had grown and matured into a young man.

Heero snapped his seat belt into place. He heard Relena breathe in and open her sapphire eyes. She looked at him oddly, seeming to forget where she was. Then she faced forward in her seat and clasped her seat belt too.

"How much time do we have before we land?" she asked softly.

"About eight minutes," was his short reply.

"Oh."

Colony L4 shuttle port…

Two young men stood on a platform waiting for a shuttle to arrive. The shorter of the two looked anxiously toward the sky, his blue eyes glowing with contentment. He spoke to the person standing beside him,

"They should be arriving any moment, don't you think, Trowa?"

Trowa Barton nodded silently and also looked skyward. He and Quatre Winner had been waiting at the shuttle bay for nearly an hour.

"Trowa?"

Trowa looked at his friend. Quatre's blonde hair was falling about his face, somewhat shading his cheerful blue eyes.

"Hm?"

"How long has it been since you last saw Heero Yuy?"

"Nearly two years."

"Me too. I wonder what he has been doing all this time. He just disappeared so suddenly and now he's back again," said the former Sandrock pilot with some puzzlement.

"Whatever Heero Yuy does, he always does it with a purpose in mind," replied Trowa unemotionally.

Quatre nodded his head in agreement then looked skyward once more. He was beginning to see a small shape appear. It grew larger as it came closer and Quatre soon came to the assumption that the shuttle they had been waiting for so long had finally come.

The shuttle landed. A few moments later, four figures emerged from it. Two were Prevents dressed in their usual green uniform. Another, was a young woman with long honey hair, pale skin, and sapphire eyes. The last figure to emerge from the shuttle was a young man with wild brown hair and cold Prussian eyes that Trowa and Quatre recognized immediately.

"Quatre, thank you so much for the use of your shuttle. I'm afraid if not for that, a flood of reporters would be screaming thousands of questions at me this instant," said Relena as she gave the blonde hair man a friendly hug.

"It was no trouble at all, really," he replied. "It's good to see you, Relena." Quatre stepped away from her and toward the young man behind her.

"It's also good to see you too, Heero," he said as he held out his hand toward the former Gundam pilot.

Heero hesitated, then briefly shook hands with the young man who offered his hand to him in friendship. He then looked over Quatre's shoulder at Trowa and nodded. Trowa nodded back politely, but said nothing. He had always been a man of few words.

"Very well then," said Quatre as he began to walk toward a waiting car. The others followed him. "Miss Relena, might I ask when we are to begin?"

"As soon as possible," she replied. "I was hoping as early as tomorrow afternoon."

"All right," said the blonde hair pilot nodding his head. He turned to Heero. "How do the others fare?"

"They should be arriving at the space port shortly. They will begin reconstruction immediately," he replied automatically.

"Let's just pray that we are able to give them enough time," Relena said solemnly as she climbed into the car that would take them to the Winner estate.

Meanwhile at the Preventers Space Base…

"Would you take a look at this, Hilde?"

"I know. I was just thinking the same thing."

"I never knew that Preventers had access to this kind of technology," exclaimed the braided pilot in disbelief.

"We keep it this way so that braided bakas like you don't cause any problems," said Wufei sharply.

"Lay off Wufei," commanded Sally.

"Onna, don't try to tell me what to do!"

"Don't try to pull that shit on me," cried Sally.

Hilde and Duo quietly left the two Preventers alone to settle their dispute. The two of them walked together toward a large open bay. It was filled with mobile suits, mechanics, and various Preventers. Duo grabbed Hilde's hand and looked at her. Her gaze was focused on the large scene. The bay was most certainly the largest either of them had ever scene. It was here that they were going to reconstruct the Gundams.

"Duo, can you believe this?"

"No babe, I can't. But I'll tell you one thing, we need to get to work," he said while flashing her a huge smile.

"All right, let the games begin."

"How are things going?"

"Maxwell, has already started things underway. The first few shipments of materials have just come in and they have already begun."

"Perfect," replied Lady Une to Zechs. "Now it is time for the three of us to play our parts. We are going to investigate each colony. I want to know every terrorist group on the colonies: their members, enemies, and whether or not they are still active. We need to discover if any of these groups has the income to produce mobile suits or dolls. If they do, I want to know where they got their material and how much of it they obtained. I'm sure you understand what I expect out of the two of you. I know that you are capable of handling this."

"We understand you perfectly," replied Noin calmly.

"Very well, now to another question: has Preventer Intel cleared everyone on board this space station?"

"We have run thorough checks on everyone. No one outside of Preventers should find out about this operation. Not even members of the ESUN aside form Relena," said Zechs.

Lady Une nodded her head then added, "I still want security extremely tight here. Put out this order: If anyone aboard suspects another of disloyalty, the person in question will immediately be detained and questioned in a military tribunal. This is not a democracy here. This is serious and shall remain so, until the situation passes. Understood?"

Noin and Zechs both nodded in agreement.

"Good, let's get to work."

That evening at the Winner estate…

Relena stood outside on the large balcony that was connected to the Winner mansion. Quatre's home was large and illustrious. He was a hospitable host, making sure he amounted to each of his guest's needs. Relena smiled at the thought of her sweet friend. It was hard to believe that he had been a Gundam pilot.

The Gundams. She had made a dangerous move agreeing to have them rebuilt. She was the only member of the ESUN to know of the operation. It was a choice that could very well put her reputation, job, and life at risk if the information leaked out. She pushed the thought to the back of her mind.

She had other things to worry about. She always had things to worry about. Things that any other normal young woman her age would never have to deal with. She had sacrificed her whole life when she became the Vice Foreign Minister to the colonies. True, she loved her job, but the current toll it was taking on her body was almost too much.

"Relena, can I get you anything?"

Relena spun around to meet Quatre's kind gaze. She smiled at him, nodding her head no. He acknowledged this, but moved toward her anyway, wishing to speak with her.

"How have you been? I mean despite all the chaos that has occurred."

"I must admit, Quatre, I've been better," she told him sighing slightly.

"I think we all have been," Quatre muttered.

"Where did Heero and Trowa go?"

"Heero wanted to make sure the security system was up to date. I assured him that it was, but you know him. Trowa went with him to help."

"He certainly hasn't changed much," said Relena sadly.

Quatre looked at her suddenly. Her blue eyes were tired and full of loneliness. She certainly looked as if she could use some sleep. There was also a hint of sadness about her. Immediately he understood her.

"Relena, how often did you think of Heero after he left?"

Relena snapped her head up, somewhat startled by the question. She looked at him oddly then smiled, a smile that reached her eyes this time. But the smile soon faded as quickly as it came, as she grew serious once more.

"You're being serious aren't you?"

"Yes," replied the blonde hair pilot.

"Oh I don't know. Probably every day I suppose. Then again, as time passed after he had gone, I forced myself not to think of him; to push him out of my mind. I think it worked. I eventually focused entirely on what I was doing with my life. The only times I would think of him would be either when I reflected on the past or just wondering what he was doing with his life."

She looked over at Quatre and smiled slightly. But her eyes were filled with confusion. Quatre decided to ask her another question. One that he had been meaning to ask her since the day he found out about Heero's return,

"Do you think that you…"

"Oh, I don't know," replied the young woman sadly. "I know what you wanted to ask. I suppose a part of me will always love Heero Yuy. But whether that love is true, or out of respect or friendship it's hard to tell. I'm just confused right now. I don't know what to think now that he's back. I use to think that I was _in love_ with him. But why love someone with no emotions? That is hardly love at all."

"Relena, you never know. I think that Heero has changed more than we realize. He just hasn't showed us yet," Quatre replied soothingly.

"I have right to believe you, Quatre. I think that he has too. But right now, I do not need to be childish and get my hopes up. This is reality, not a fairy tale. I need to be focusing on my tour. Right now all that matters is the peace."

"Always thinking of others."

"I know, tiring isn't it?" Relena replied winking at him.

"Extremely," Quatre said laughing.

"Well, I'm going to turn in. Good night."

With that, Relena turned and walked back into the mansion, her long honey hair flowing like a waterfall down her back.

"Is the tracking system online?"

"Up and running," replied Trowa quietly.

Heero looked at the computer screen in front of him. A soft green light, that indicated Relena, was moving gracefully through the guest wing of Quatre's mansion. Trowa and Heero had been in the security room for nearly an hour checking the nearly flawless system that Quatre had installed.

Just then, the former Sandrock pilot walked into the room. He smiled warmly at the two young men who were seated at the computers and monitors, their eyes scanning every inch of the screens.

"Well, is everything all right?" he asked calmly.

"Fine, the system will suffice. Although, I am concerned about the security around her room," replied Heero flatly.

"Heero, you worry too much. She will be fine. Besides, we are only staying here for a few nights. Then we're going to be off on other colonies. If I were you, I would worry about what security steps you are going to take in the future," Quatre said reassuringly.

"Hn," was the reply that Heero gave. The young man left the room and went to Quatre's study. He intended to make the daily report from there on a secure line.

Meanwhile at the Preventers Space Base…

"Zechs, have you found anything yet?"

"Nothing at all. Except a few groups that have not been active for years. I wrote them down, but from as far as I can tell we still don't have a very good lead."

Noin frowned. She and Zechs had been working at this all day. She would have thought that by now they would have at least had some sort of clue. She felt like they were making absolutely no progress what so ever.

"Do you think that we are looking in the wrong places? I mean, who says that it is a rebel group in the colonies at all? What if the colonies are being framed for actions that they did not I even take?" Noin said matter of fact.

"Lucrezia, your intentions are good, but I think that for now we should stick to what we have. And what we have are all sources pointing to the colonies. Once we find more clues, maybe then we can determine if this was all a plot to frame the colonies, but for now…"

"I suppose you're right," said Noin cutting her fiancé short. "But didn't Relena say something about looking into the new representative from North America? Bret Mavica?"

"She did, but remember she wasn't feeling very well that day. She hasn't spoken of it since."

"Well, I think we should do as she says, Zechs. She always has been one of good judgment."

Zechs sighed. He knew this was a battle that he was going to lose. He still didn't understand why Relena would want to have Preventers investigate the man. She had told Zechs hardly anything about him.

"All right," he said giving up on the debate. "I'll investigate him first thing in the morning."

"Thank you Zechs, Relena will appreciate it," said Noin as she kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"I'm sure she will."


	8. Chapter 7

AN: Well this is chapter 7. I know that the story may seem sort of slow. No action at all. I know I know you can yell at me but I promise that once I get to it, the action is going to come. The plot of the whole conspiracy needs to further develop. You will also see character relationships further develop within the next following chapters. Please I really hope that you are enjoying this story. Always R&R.

"… if any further attacks take place, I am begging all not to take any course of action until Preventers have thorough proof by whom the attacks were made. It is imperative that right now, we stand together. If the ESUN falls apart, all hope for peace will be diminished with it."

"Minister Darlian, as always you speak beyond your years, but I must ask you this: How are we as colonial leaders supposed to stand by and take open criticism from the people of Earth? What if the Earth decides to strike back against the colonies for something that we have not done?"

"I can assure you, Representative Clemens, with my presence on the colonies all will be well. I was also given reassurance by ESUN members that no course of action from Earth would be taken without my consultation."

Clemens rose from his seat and walked around his office. Though he believed fully in the young woman's intentions he was not quite sure she could control what was going to happen. He cleared his throat to speak,

"It is good that you have faith in the ESUN members, both of Earth and the Colonies. However, some people are more… stubborn in their beliefs than others. Such as Senator Pentane. He strongly believed that the colonies should be overruled by Earth."

Relena looked at the L4 representative sternly. She was confused. Pentane had simply wanted to find out who the rebel groups in the colonies were. She had never heard of the Senator wanting to control the colonies.

"Representative Clemens, I am afraid I do not understand what you are saying. From my understanding, Senator Pentane, before he died, had simply wanted to know the cause of the attacks. He, like so many others, believed it to be rebel colonial groups. Not once have I ever recalled him saying that the colonies…"

"Of course not," interrupted the old man. "Though you hold one of the highest positions in the ESUN, you do not understand all that goes on between the delegates. For years now we delegates have been fighting with one another. Pentane, although he never openly admitted to it, always held a grudge against the colonies and their very existence. I know this because he and I often held confrontations with each other. I never did approve of his ideas.

"Miss Darlian, the day of the attack on the ESUN conference, Pentane was going to suggest that the ESUN thoroughly investigate each colony using military action to find the terrorist groups."

Relena interrupted the old man,

"You know that I never would have approved of that. It is the business of the Preventers to commit to such investigations. If one like that were open to the public, conflict would surely be the result."

"Those were my exact thoughts, Vice Minister. However, before the meeting, Pentane had rallied the representatives from Earth to approve of his decision. Nearly all had approved. Therefore, we would have been out-voted on the matter and Pentane would have gotten his way…"

"Had it no been for his own death," finished Relena.

"Yes, you are catching on now."

Relena stood from her chair. It was time for her to take her leave. She had gathered all the information she needed. Perhaps a little more than she had expected.

"I would like to thank you for your time, Representative Clemens. Don't forget about the meeting on L1 within the next month."

With that Relena bowed to him and began to approach the door to exit from the office. But she was topped when the old man spoke to her once again,

"You must realize that conspiracies, such as this, have been unfolding since time began. Yet, the longer time passes on, the more complicated they become. I wish you luck on solving this Vice Minister Darlian."

Relena only nodded then left the room.

Once Clemens was assured that the young woman was gone, he let out a breath he never knew he had been holding. Despite her best efforts, he felt that she was bound to fail sooner or later.

"Believe what you will," he said his eyes narrowing at the door.

Heero was waiting for Relena outside of the office. He had taken up post by the door. After an hour of waiting, Relena finally emerged from the office looking tired yet determined to continue on with her busy day. She nodded to Heero, who in turn began to walk along side of her as they made their way to a car that waited for them outside. The car would take them back to Quatre's.

Relena climbed in first and was soon followed by the Gundam pilot who sat silently next to her. She cringed inside. She shifted carefully as far away from him on the seat as possible. It just felt so awkward for her to be with him after so long. She didn't know what to believe any more. Besides she had more important things to worry about than her own feelings at the moment.

Heero looked forward during the entire car ride. That was where he and Relena would meet up with Trowa and Quatre. Quatre was supposed to meet today with a few politicians on Relena's behalf. Relena wanted to attend the meeting herself, but felt it was more important to hold a private meeting with Representative Clemens.

Heero noted that she looked quite uneasy seated next to him. Ever since he had met with her again, she always seemed tense and nervous. Though she hid her emotions very well with a political façade, all Heero had to do was look at her blue eyes. They gave away everything about her: Her triumphs and tragedies, struggles and contentment.

Though Heero never was one of many words, the silence that had filled the car was unrelenting. He wished to know what was bothering Relena. Perhaps it was something that Clemens had told her. She seemed uptight.

"What happened?"

Relena looked at the young man seated next to her. She was startled that he had broken the awkward silence that had filled the car. He still faced forward, staring at a specific location that Relena could only guess. She answered him somewhat shyly,

"Representative Clemens spoke of a conspiracy that was forming in the ESUN before the attack on the committee took place. He said that Senator Pentane, of North America, devised a plan to have each of the colonies openly searched for any terrorist. Using military power of course."

This information received Heero's full attention. He turned his head to look at Relena; her eyes were downcast. She sighed and turned to look out of the window.

"An open search of the colonies would lead to war," he stated.

"I know, this is what baffles me. The colonies would surely disapprove. They already claim that they have no hand in these attacks what so ever. Yet each attack has led us to believe that rebel colonial groups who wanted total independence from Earth caused them."

Heero paused as if thoughtful. He then spoke again in his usual monotone voice,

"Pentane was eager to find the source of these attacks. He was also eager to start war. He clearly knew of the consequences that his decision would bring."

"Yes, but why would he want war? He was a member of the ESUN, a man who was elected to keep the peace. It doesn't make any sense," Relena exclaimed. "Clemens explained that Pentane rallied the members of Earth to vote for this decision. That way I would become out-voted in the matter so that there would be nothing for me to do to stop it. To think that this was all going on behind my back and I was too blind to realize it."

"What happened to Senator Pentane?" Heero asked.

Relena took a deep breath and looked at Heero in his deep Prussian eyes for the first time since they had met again. They were emotionless as always, but Relena thought she saw something else in them even if for a moment.

"He died in my arms the day of the attack. One of the eight members of the ESUN who died. The others were also from Earth, as you know. They must have been followers of Pentane."

Heero came to a realization.

"Relena, those members were probably deliberately targeted. Someone knew what they were up to and decided to put a stop to it."

"You mean… someone from the colonies?"

"Most likely. As you stated, most of the members from earth approved of the decision to use military action on the colonies. This would only result in casualties and war between the colonies and earth." Heero paused for a moment as he suddenly realized something else. "Relena, where did Clemens receive this information?"

"Well he never really explained that to me. He said that he and Senator Pentane never really approved of each other to begin with. That they had often held confrontations with each other."

Relena looked questioningly at Heero. He was staring at her unemotionally. Yet there seemed to be a small ring of triumph in his eyes.

"Heero what is it?"

"Relena, I think that we have reason to believe that Representative Clemens is a suspect."

Heero and Relena rushed into Quatre's study. A very startled Trowa and Quatre looked at the two in surprise.

"Contact Zechs at once," Heero commanded.

Quatre nodded and dialed the number on his Vidphone.

"Heero, are you sure?" Relena asked.

He never answered her because soon Zech's face appeared on the screen.

"Yes Yuy?"

"I believe that we have a suspect."

Preventers Space Base…

"Well this does make perfect sense. I believe that Heero is right and we should investigate him," stated Lady Une.

"It's the best lead we have so far anyway," said Noin.

"I agree," said Zechs. "Relena what do you think?"

Relena appeared on the screen. She looked tired, as if she had not slept in days. She sighed and took a deep breath before she spoke.

"At first I was reluctant to think that Representative Clemens, would do such a thing. Yet after hearing the facts, I believe that we do have reason to investigate. We are not openly accusing him anyway. We are simply taking the necessary precautions. Do what you will, please just keep us informed of what you find."

"Very well," Zechs replied. "Ah yes, Relena, Noin and I took the liberty to look into Bret Mavica."

"Yes well?"

"There was nothing on him. Perfect citizen. I still can not understand why you would suspect him of anything."

"I had my reasons Milliardo, and I still do. There is something about that man that I do not trust."

"Well without anything on him there's nothing I can do about it. Just try to avoid him Relena. Unless he does something, there is nothing we can do."

Relena only looked away from the screen, her eyes burning with anger. She knew that he was up to no good. It was in his manner. The way he walked, talked, and acted. Damn the others if they thought her foolish for her own thoughts.

"What is your schedule for tonight?" Zechs asked his younger sister.

When she did not answer Quatre stepped up and spoke for her,

"Relena and I are to attend a dinner party held at Senator Blake's home here on L4."

"Very well. Please be careful. Watch Relena closely. If anything should go wrong…"

"Milliardo, please. Everything will be fine. We shall remain at Quatre's for the remainder of the week, then travel to L2," Relena said somewhat agitated.

"All right, goodbye," said Zechs as he disconnected. He leaned back in his chair then rubbed his temples.

"Let's run over the facts please once more," said Lady Une.

Noin spoke up,

"Clemens is a colonial leader. All information, thus so far, had led us to believe that the attacks were caused by the colonies. Who better than a leader and member of the ESUN? He has the money to build mobile suits and find a place to store them. He knew of the plot that Pentane was planning on and also claimed that he never approved of Pentane and his beliefs. If he was truly behind all of this, what more could he ask for when Pentane and seven other ESUN members from Earth were suddenly killed in an attack?"

"Yes," started Lady Une "but we still need solid proof. I guess we shall just have to further continue this investigation and let time pass. Hopefully it won't be too late."

"Might I suggest, that once we have more information, we send our people in undercover to find out how we might stop this," Zechs said almost questioningly.

"Approved but until we can let's stay busy and get to work."

"Looking beautiful buddy," said Duo cheerfully as he worked on Deathscythe. At least what was coming along to be his old Gundam.

"How can you talk to that thing as if it were alive?" Hilde asked as she worked along side of him.

"Well babe, me and this guy go way…"

"Shut up Maxwell, before I knock you and your constant babble out," Wufei shouted form across the working bay.

"Awwww come on! Lay off, Wu-man. I was just trying to explain…"

"Injustice! Don't you ever call me that again!"

"Call you what?" Duo asked innocently.

Wufei looked as if he were about to explode, but he just mumbled something under his breath and continued to work. He couldn't believe that he had been turned into a mechanic. At least he was working on something that he loved. Something that was useful and would bring about Justice and peace.

Duo laughed at Wufei who had simple decided to ignore him. He looked over at Hilde who only smiled and shook her head. Duo winked at her, which to his surprise, made Hilde's cheeks turn pink. This only made the cheerful pilot laugh some more.

"Soon the Shignami will be back in action. Yes just like old times…. OUCH DAMN IT!" exclaimed the braided pilot as a bolt came lose and hit him in the head. "Jesus the same thing happened yesterday," he muttered.

"Look like the 'God of Death' is going to die before he reaches the battlefield," Hilde said smirking.

Duo was about to reply when Sally came walking in with an unexpected visitor. Duo sprang to his feet and ran to meet the man who was walking beside her.

"Thought we could use him at one point in time," said Sally dryly.

"Howard! How's it going?" Duo exclaimed shaking his hand.

"Pretty good, thought you would like a hand."

"Well we've got about ten mechanics each on each of the Gundams, but I suppose we could always use one more."

Howard smiled broadly. He always had liked the cheerful pilot.

"Great," he said, "show me where to go."

Somewhere in space…

Bret Mavica walked along gray corridors and hallways. The entire place was like a giant labyrinth, but if you were there as often as he was, you knew your way around. Soon he was at his destination. Mavica punched in a code on a key panel. A metal door opened revealing a small office along with a secretary.

"You may go on in, he has been expecting you," she told him.

Mavica nodded and waited as another door opened revealing a large room filled with nothing but a large desk and plush leather chair. A great bay window, which took up the entire back wall of the office, revealed all of space and the glittering stars in their glory and beauty.

Mavica stopped and waited patiently. The leather chair was turned so that its occupant may look out of the window, into space. Though the person in the chair never turned around to face the ESUN member, he spoke to him understanding his presence.

"The girl is more shrewd than I thought of her. She places herself in danger by visiting the colonies. Yet, at the same time, she is also managing to ruin my plans. She was supposed to have died at our attack. Yet she somehow survived. I suppose I shall just have to alter my plans slightly."

Mavica spoke up,

"Sir, with her presence on the colonies, war will not result. As long as she can hold an influence over the people, nothing we planned will happen."

"Then I have no other choice. I can not kill her. Murder would not prove of any use to us. She must resign in order for us to proceed as planned. Under her own free will of course."

"Sir?"

The man in the chair did not turn around to face his accomplice. He simply smirked to himself then once again spoke,

"Choose your man Mavica. I want one of our best. Tell him he is to bring the Vice Foreign Minister to me, tonight! If he doesn't then he shall suffer the consequences. I think he'll understand what I mean by that."

"Yes sir, I know just the man for the job."

Mavica saluted then turned to leave the office.

"Oh, one more thing," said the man in the chair.

Mavica turned around once more.

"Get some of our people into the Preventers. They think I don't know that they have a large spaceport. I want to know what they are up to."

"It's already been done sir," Mavica stated.

The man stood but still did not turn to face Mavica. He stared out of the window still, his eyes never leaving the stars.

"Good, I see that you know very well what I expect of you."

"I do what you would will me."

Although Mavica could not see his leader's face, he knew that the man was smiling.

"Of course you do," replied the man. " Make sure you keep the people of Earth on their toes. I want the Miss Darlian to know exactly what she is dealing with. Remember I want her tonight."

"Yes sir," with that Mavica exited the room.

AN: Hey this is where it's really going to start getting good! Please read all of the chapters carefully. Pick up hints and clues so that you can try to unmask the conspiracy. More is on the way. The next chapter will promise some good old action. More information will be given also regarding the enemy. Interactions between Heero and Relena will become more frequent as their relationship develops. Please read and review. Send any comments to WildRose1404aol.com thanks!


	9. Chapter 8

AN: Chapter 8. It's seems like I have been writing this for so much longer than what I really have been. This chapter promises some action! (Finally). I had to work my way up to it in order for the story to develop. Sorry if the previous chapters were not exactly what you had hoped for. But I feel that I did the best I could and that action is not necessary at all times. Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter. Be sure to pay attention to character dialog and events that take place, as in the previous chapters. Thank you; remember always R&R!

Relena was exhausted. What Quatre had explained to her to be just a small formal dinner party, between a few politicians, had turned out to be practically a small ball. At least a hundred people were present, along with a small band, and a lavish dinner.

Currently, Relena was being hassled by people who were simply complaining of the current issue between the colonies and Earth. She tried to answer as many of their concerned questions as possible, but she found that she was becoming bombarded. They ceased when the music started to play. A young man asked her to dance. She accepted, grateful to get away from her current attackers.

Though she found her dancing partner to be very nice and charming, she found herself drifting from where she was. She glanced about the large room. She caught a glimpse of Quatre who seemed to be enjoying himself with a young redheaded woman. They danced and laughed together, seeming to be in their own little world. Trowa was standing on guard near the staircase. His eyes were scanning the room. _Probably looking for any possible assassins,_ Relena thought to herself.

How she wished she could be away from all of this. Normally, she would be enjoying herself, but right now, she had too much on her mind to be having social engagements at a party. Well this wasn't supposed to really be a party.

That was when she saw him. Admits the twirling and shuffling of feet, the dresses and black tuxedos, she saw Heero standing in the shadows near the doors. He was watching her every move intently. His eyes pierced through her as they always did. Relena found that she could not bring herself to look away from his strong gaze. She no longer paid any attention to her partner; she just let him lead her about the dance floor, as she stared transfixed into a Prussian blue stare.

She was abruptly forced to look away when the music stopped. There was a small applause, which was followed once more by music. Relena thanked her partner politely and started to excuse herself from the dance floor. However, when she turned around, in front of her stood a tall man with raven hair.

"Minister Darlian, you didn't think you would leave without bestowing the honor to dance with you," said Bret Mavica.

Relena stood firm staring at him in disbelief. _What was he doing here?_

"Representative Mavica, I didn't expect to see you here," she replied.

"Please call me Bret. I was in the area on business so I decided to stop by."

"Why is that not very believable," Relena muttered.

"Well why should you be so concerned. You are not the only person who wishes to discuss matters with the colonies."

Relena did not like the tone in which he had just spoken to her, but she wasn't given much time to think of her next response. The next thing she knew, she and the newly appointed ESUN member were whirling around the dance floor with other couples. Relena simply followed his lead and never looked into his eyes. She felt quite uncomfortable as it was.

Heero watched as Relena switched dancing partners. He decided to take the opportunity to scan the room for anything suspicious. He cursed himself for becoming distracted only a few moments earlier. He had been watching Relena, when she suddenly looked at him. He couldn't look away, so he just stood there watching her sapphire eyes. They never left his own, which had baffled him, somewhat. Only when she looked away did he stop his fixation on her. Anything could have happened in that moment. She could have been seriously hurt because he was not paying attention to his task.

Though he did not wish to, his eyes started to fix themselves on the young woman once more. They seemed to have a will of their own, despite his mind's command. Her new partner was a man with raven hair. He stood tall, towering over Relena. His dark eyes were watching her intently. She however, seemed to fix her gaze on the ground. Heero noted to himself that she looked quite uncomfortable with this man. He looked as if he were quite powerful and capable of many things.

Heero decided to move closer towards the dancers to get a better look. The man seemed to be talking to Relena about something important. Although, whatever it was, Heero could only guess. He shrugged it off. Whatever they were speaking about was none of his concern; he was after all, just a soldier.

"You should talk to her instead of stare at her," said a voice from behind him.

Heero spun around to see Trowa standing at his side. The young man was not looking at Heero however; he was looking straight ahead at the dancers. However, knowing Trowa, he might not have been looking at anything at all.

"Hn," Heero replied.

"Someone once told me to act on their emotions. I hope that he follows his own advice every once in a while."

Heero did not reply this time. He wasn't sure how he should. Instead he just turned to face the dancers again. He watched as Relena spun about the dance floor with her partner. He cursed at himself again. He couldn't understand why she was distracting him so much.

"You know Relena… I may call you Relena?"

Relena looked at Bret Mavica and nodded her head yes. She really didn't care what he called her right now. She just wanted to find out why he was here. He continued,

"From the information I have received, the colonies do not wish to cooperate at this point. It seems almost a waste of time, your presence here I mean…"

"Excuse me _Bret,_ but I once again most inquire about your presence here. I am quite surprised that you were able to travel to the colonies without very many problems. Let alone attend this very party," Relena stated.

Mavica smiled somewhat menacingly. She was indeed much smarter than she looked.

"Well, Relena as you may see, I am not the only ESUN member here who is from earth. You yourself, are present."

"I believe that you are avoiding the question," the young woman retorted.

"Perhaps I am."

This statement caused Relena to snap her head in alarm. She did not like the tone he was using with her at all. Mavica quickly decided to change the subject,

"Might I inquire where you are staying?"

"Not that it is any of your concern, but for the time being, Mr. Winner has provided accommodations for me."

"Yes, yes, he is accompanying you on your tour."

Suddenly the dance ended. Relena was about to pull away when Mavica stopped her.

"Please step outside with me for a moment."

His voice was strong and powerful. Relena knew she didn't have a choice. It was more of a command rather than a request. Besides, she would rather speak to him in private than cause a scene at the party. She simply nodded her head and let the man lead her out to the balcony.

She passed Heero and Trowa on the way out. The look she passed to the two bodyguards was one of warning. Heero looked at Trowa who simply nodded and left to go find Quatre. Heero silently followed Relena and the man outside onto the balcony. He positioned himself in the shadows where no one would see him. It was here that he could also hear every bit of their conversation.

"You know Relena, your presence here on the colonies is most unwelcome," said the man.

"Only by some," she replied.

"Not by some, by many."

"What are you afraid of? Do you think that the colonies shall corrupt me to their ideas? They want peace just as much as anyone does. They are not behind all of this"

"What makes you so sure? Just because you are Vice Foreign Minister doesn't make you God."

Relena had had enough. She was livid at the man's words. He was up to something. She turned to leave but gasped as she felt him grab her wrist tightly.

"Let me go this instant," she commanded him.

"Not until you hear me out, Relena," he said coldly.

"Release me at once!" she said as he tightened his grip on her wrist.

Suddenly she was jerked back from his grip. A dark form stood between her and Mavica.

"Heero," gasped Relena.

Mavica smirked at the young man who had broken them apart.

"Excuse me, but this is none of young concern," said Mavica to the young man.

"Relena's safety is always my concern," replied a cold voice.

Realization dawned on the ESUN member. This young man was her bodyguard. He glanced around the rest of the balcony. In the doorway that connected back to the party stood another young man. Behind him was another young man with blonde hair, whom Mavica thought to be Quatre Winner. What had Relena just said anyhow? _Heero?_ Of course Heero Yuy, the Gundam pilot. Also known as the Perfect Soldier. This was indeed rare and unexpected.

"Well then if you'll excuse me, I have other matters I must attend to," said Mavica as he brushed past Heero and Relena.

Heero watched the man as he went inside the party once more. The man stopped to speak to another man next to him. Their discussion was quick, for soon Mavica pulled away from him and departed from Heero's sight all together. Heero then shifted his focus down to the young woman standing next to him.

"Thank you Heero."

"Did he hurt you?"

Relena looked up into Heero's Prussian eyes. Again she thought she saw an emotion burn in them. Also, again, it was wiped away quickly by the bitter cold storm that lurked inside his soul.

"No, I'm fine," said Relena as she looked away.

"Relena, what happened?" asked a concerned Quatre as he and Trowa drew closer to the two of them.

"Nothing serious. I'm fine Quatre, really."

"All right. Perhaps we better take our leave," replied the blonde hair man.

"I agree," said Relena.

Later that evening back at the Winner Estate…

Quatre and Trowa were in the security room. They watched as a soft green light blinked on the computer screen.

"Well, Relena is in her room. I suppose that we can relax for the night," said Quatre quietly.

He paused as if he were in deep thought. He then looked over to Trowa who was silently watching the computer monitors.

"Trowa, do you think that Heero has feelings towards Miss Relena?"

The Heavy arms pilot did not answer. Quatre merely shrugged and stood up. Trowa was always quiet. Quatre had just come to accept this over time from his friend. He spoke when it was needed.

"Heero is confused with his emotions right now," said Trowa suddenly.

Quatre smiled. He thought he would talk eventually.

"I must agree with you. After all the training he went through, it's hard to believe that he would be capable of such feelings."

"Heero is human, just as you and I."

"Of course he is. Deep down, I believe that he does care for her. I know that Miss Relena cares for him deeply," Quatre stated quietly.

Trowa simply nodded his head. Once again he focused his attention on the computer screens. They were images from the surveillance cameras posted about the Winner estate. The soft green light from Relena's tracking device was still glowing softly in her room. All looked well.

Just then, Heero walked into the room. He had been making his daily report to Zechs and Lady Une.

"How is everything?" he asked.

"Looking good," replied Quatre.

"Hn."

"Heero, did you tell Lady Une about what happened tonight?" inquired Quatre.

"Yes, she said that she would have Zechs and Noin look into this 'Bret Mavica' once more. I believe that there is more to him than meets the eye, just as Relena."

"Indeed," replied Quatre.

Heero looked at the monitors. He noticed the green light. He also noticed something else.

"Trowa, check the motion detectors outside of Relena's room."

Trowa did so without a word. The monitors switched as images of the hallways surrounding Relena's room popped on to the screen. Heero frowned. Nothing strange was there.

"Now check all motion detectors that lead around the gardens and her balcony."

Images from the balcony and gardens popped onto the screen. Once again nothing seemed out of the normal. Heero however, peered closely at the pictures of her balcony. A shadow passed by the doors.

"There!" he exclaimed.

"Heero it could be anything!" cried Quatre.

"No someone is there. Come on."

Suddenly they heard a muffled scream coming from upstairs.

Relena had been pacing around her room for the past fifteen minutes. Her encounter with Mavica tonight, had raised further questions in her head. She was frustrated and sure that the man had something to do with the troubles between the colonies and earth. Yet he had just taken up his position in the ESUN.

Relena looked into her vanity mirror and sighed. The young woman staring back at her seemed much older than what she really was. Her eyes had lost most of the light they had once carried, and dark bags hung underneath of them. But she was still beautiful, beautiful in many ways, only sick and tired in her heart.

Relena began to take down her hair. She had swept it up for the evening. She pulled out the pin and let it flow down her back. She reached for her hairbrush and began to comb out the silky tresses. Without looking Relena tried to put her hairbrush back onto the vanity. However, it fell to the floor with a soft thump. Frustrated at this, Relena sighed and bent down on the floor to pick it up. Relena gently set the brush back onto the side of the vanity again. She turned once more to look at her reflection.

The moment she did so, a large dark figure stood behind her, his image reflected in the mirror. Relena screamed but a large hand soon muffled her cry over her mouth. The man pulled her toward the balcony doors.

Relena began to struggle. She had to get away. She kicked and squirmed, but the man was at least a foot and a half taller than she, and also had the grip of a vice. Relena then bit down hard onto the hand that covered her mouth. As she tasted blood the man cried out and released her, throwing her small body onto the bed.

Relena was dazed. The force in which the man had thrown her had made her dizzy. She tired to push herself off the bed, her mind telling her to run away from this room. Then she felt a strong hand grip her waist and spin her so that she was lying on her back. Relena screamed again as the large man struggled with her trying to grab her so that he may take her away from safety.

Relena could feel herself begin to weaken. She knew that she wouldn't be able to win this battle. She cried out loud for someone to come save her.

"Help! Somebody help me!" she practically sobbed.

The man slapped her across the face so that she would become silent. He had already underestimated her strength, for he had planned to be away with her by now.

Suddenly a gunshot was heard at the bed room door. It burst open revealing three young men armed and ready.

"Get the hell away from her!" said a tall youth with dark hair and eyes that shot daggers at Relena's assailant.

The man smirked and stood up from the bed pulling the young woman up with him. He placed her in front of him and held a large knife to her throat.

"Put down your weapons or you will find that you have made a terrible mistake," said the man.

Heero lowered his gun and motioned for the others to do the same. They placed them out on the floor in front of them so that the man could see they were unarmed. Heero looked at Relena. She stood dignified even with the dagger at her throat. The look in her eyes was one full of fear, yet resourcefulness. At that moment Heero knew that she trusted him completely.

Heero glared at the attacker. He then nodded to Quatre. Quatre somehow understood this gesture. He took one cautious step forward and began to speak to the man.

"If you know what is best. You will release this woman at once, before any harm can come to you."

The man sneered at looked only at the blonde young man who stood before him.

"Listen boy, I think that I know what is best. If you take one step closer to me, I can assure you that the Vice Foreign Minister will be in bad shape and unable to fulfill her duties."

Quatre nodded to the man and spoke once more,

"I am quite sure that you mean what you say, so I shall no longer step towards you. But, again I must ask that you release your hostage. Do not harm her anymore. She has done nothing wrong towards you and…"

"Silence boy! I will tell you when to speak!" screamed the man his gaze still fixed on the blonde hair pilot. The attacker then dropped his knife and whipped pout a handgun that had been concealed in his jacket. Relena stiffened. She saw her attacker begin to caulk the trigger at Quatre.

But Quatre stood firm and only stepped closer to the man who held Relena.

"Get back now!" screamed the man.

At that moment the gun was kicked from his hand. The attacker, who was dumbfounded, felt a strong blow come down on his jaw. The force of the blow sent him to the ground, taking his hostage with him.

Relena landed on the ground with a small cry. The man did not even release her when Heero had nearly broken his jaw. Suddenly, she felt herself being gently pulled up by another pair of arms, releasing her from the attacker's vice grip. The man still was sprawled on the floor trying to recuperate from the blow he had just taken.

Relena struggled to stand on her feet. She looked up to see Quatre trying to pull her safely across the room away from the dangerous man.

In the mean time Heero and Trowa had grabbed their guns. They aimed them at the attacker who was beginning to stir. The man stood up and faced the two Gundam pilots. He over-towered them both by at least seven inches. But Heero and Trowa stood firm.

"Are you going to kill me?" he asked the two young men.

Trowa surprisingly spoke up first,

"You shall be taken in for questioning at Preventers. They shall decide what to do with your life, not us."

"Big mistake," sneered the man.

He lunged at the two pilots, but they were ready for him. They simply sidestepped and sent the man sprawling across the room.

Frustrated the man stood up once more. He looked around the room. The Vice Foreign Minister was with the blonde hair youth on the other side of the room. The other two young men were watching his every move. The dark hair one glared at him menacingly. His eyes were cold and hateful, the true emotions buried beneath the surface were unreadable. The man most certainly did not like it when people gave him threatening looks like that.

He lunged for Heero knocking Trowa aside with brutal force. Heero was thrown to the ground with the large man on top of him.

Relena across the room tried to run forward but Quatre held her back.

"Heero!"

Trowa jump back onto his feet. He ran over to the two grappling men. He dove down and used all his strength to pull the attacker off of Heero. The man simply swung his arm up knocking Trowa to the ground.

Heero however, took this opportunity to take action. He punched his assailant in the ribs. The man cried out in pain as he felt a jolt run up and down his chest. Heero rolled out from underneath the man and stood on his feet. The man tried to do the same, but before he could react in time, Heero kicked his head with such a force that the man's world darkened and blackness surrounded him.

Heero helped Trowa to his feet, breathing hard. They looked at the man for a moment making sure that he was indeed unconscious.

"Tie him up Trowa."

The silent pilot nodded and set to his task.

Heero turned to look at Quatre and Relena who had been watching the whole ordeal from the other side of the room. He walked over toward the two of them.

"Quatre, get a shuttle ready. We are leaving here tonight. They know where Relena is, it is no longer safe for her here."

"Right," said Quatre as he left the room to do so.

"Heero, where will we go?" Relena asked softly.

Heero looked at her. She was still shaking. Her hair was slightly disheveled and Heero could see the tears starting to form in her eyes. He knew that she was trying to hide her emotions from him. He looked at her left cheek. It was red. The man must have hit her. The thought made Heero uneasy. He reached out and touched her cheek gently, examining her.

Relena flinched at this sudden gesture. He had never down such a thing before. His hands were warm and surprisingly gentle. She was so startled however, that she looked down and slightly backed away, causing him to drop his hand.

"I'm fine Heero. He just hit me because I was struggling, that's all. I'm really all right."

Heero nodded and then motioned for her to follow him out of the room.

"Heero, where are we going?"

"Preventers," was his only reply.

AN: Well that's it for chapter 8! Exciting right? Well I hope that you think so. The story picks up a lot form here so pay attention. Please send me some feedback! I would really like to know what you guys are thinking. Next up chapter 9. Pay attention because you are going to learn more about the conspiracy that is unveiling. Heero and Relena shall continue to interact with each other. More action to come in the next chapters too. Always R&R!


	10. Chapter 9

AN: This is chapter 9. Enjoying this? Well I most certainly am enjoying writing this. I am becoming very excited about the next up and coming chapters. I am motivated and will assure you that I will finish this fic. I just hope that everyone begins to enjoy it as much as I am. More action to come. The conspiracy is developing. The pilots and Preventers will soon find themselves in heaps of trouble. Uh- oh! Always R&R!

Preventer space base…

Duo was sleeping peacefully in his bunk. He and many others had spent the entire day working on the Gundams. They had been doing so for the entire week. Things appeared to be moving along nicely, although at times Duo found small problems arising.

But for now, the pilot of Deathscythe Hell slept, dreaming about what his life would be like after this was all over. He dreamt of Hilde, her face smiling at him, and her laughter ringing in his ears. This was the first time in months that nightmares from the war hadn't managed to creep up on him.

Below him, however, on the bottom bunk, lay Wufei, trying, without much success, to catch some sleep as well. His roommate's soft snoring was distracting.

"Injustice. Why did I ever agree to share a room with this braided baka?" exclaimed the Preventer as he opened his eyes.

He decided that he had had enough. If he could not relax then neither should he. Wufei stood up and grabbed his pillow. He looked up onto the top bunk where his roommate lay. Using his pillow, Wufei landed a hard blow on the sleeping pilot.

"Stop that infernal racket!" screamed Wufei.

Duo sat upright in alarm. He squirmed and fell out of his bed, entangled in a mess of sheets and blankets. Duo rubbed his hazy eyes and looked up at his attacker.

"Damn it Wufei! Can't a fella get a decent amount of sleep around this place?!"

"Humph! Injustice! I've been listening to your snoring all night. It is I who has not been able to relax!"

Duo rolled his eyes. He looked across the room at the digital clock that sat on a small nightstand. Duo's violet eyes grew wide as he read the time.

"Wufei, it's three in the morning! I'm never going to get back to sleep now! Damn it! I was having such a good dream too!"

"Listen Maxwell, if you and I are going to attempt to bunk together, then we best set some things straight…"

The Vidphone blinking with an urgent message interrupted Wufei. Duo reached it first; revealing Lady Une's worried face. She spoke quickly,

"We need the two of you at once down here in the landing bay. Don't waste any time! I will explain once you get here!"

She shut down the line. Duo and Wufei scrambled to thrown on their clothes. One the way out of the door Duo muttered under his breath,

"So much for a good night's rest."

"Shut up, Maxwell."

Once they had reached the landing bay, the two Gundam pilots met up with Lady Une, Zechs, and Noin. All three of them had a worried expression on their face. Duo looked at the head of the Preventers questioningly. She however, stood in silence. Seconds later, Sally and Hilde arrived panting, apparently alarmed just a Duo and Wufei had been.

Lady Une spoke,

"Zechs what do we have?"

"They shall be arriving within the next 30 seconds. I suggest we open the hatch," he replied.

"Very well do so. Everyone stand aside."

Zechs and Noin ran over to a control panel. After pressing a few buttons the large hatch opened and a small private shuttle made it's way into the landing area. Noin closed the large doors to the space station. She and Zechs raced towards the shuttle, the other following closely behind them.

All stood back as the shuttle doors opened. Four figures emerged slowly. Three young men, and one young woman who stood between them.

"Relena!" cried Zechs as he ran towards his younger sister. He embraced her then stood back to inspect her making sure she was safe. He frowned as he looked at her left cheek, which was still red, and slightly swollen from the blow she had taken earlier.

"It's nothing Milliardo, I'm fine."

"But Relena…"

"Really, all I need right now is some rest. Please don't worry so much," she said smiling slightly.

Zechs nodded then looked to the three young men who stood behind her.

"My thanks to you all, especially you, Yuy," he said.

Heero only nodded in return.

Lady Une stepped forward,

"Has the prisoner been properly detained?"

"Yes, you will find him inside," Heero stated coldly.

"Maxwell, Wufei, take the prisoner and lead him to my office. There he shall be questioned."

Duo and Wufei looked at each other then simply shrugged. They would get their answers later. The two of them followed Trowa inside the shuttle.

"The rest of you, follow me," commanded Lady Une.

The man who had tired to abduct Relena now sat in a leather chair unbound, facing a group of men and women. The only ones he recognized were the Vice Foreign Minister and her three saviors from earlier that evening. Especially the dark hair youth who stood in the corner of the room. His arms were folded out in front of his body and he glared at the man coldly, with Prussian blue eyes. The man sneered at the tall youth that had delivered him to this place.

"State your name," said Zechs.

"Why is my name any of your concern?"

"I will ask you nicely one more time…please state your name."

The man sighed. It didn't matter know. He was a dead man either way.

"Clancy Penn."

"Very well, Mr. Penn. Might I ask you why you tried to abduct and or harm the Vice Foreign Minister earlier this evening?"

"My orders were to bring the Vice Foreign Minister with me."

"Who gave you these orders?" asked Zechs.

"This I can not tell you," sneered Clancy.

"Mr. Penn, by not giving us the answers we need, you are only making things increasingly difficult on yourself," stated Lady Une. "Now please answer the question."

"Why should I? If I tell you they will kill me. If I don't tell you then they will kill me anyway for failing my mission."

"Who are you speaking of?" questioned Zechs once more.

The man smirked and narrowed his eyes. His next words were cold and fearful,

"Men whom you think you know everything about, when in fact they are the enemy you have been looking for."

All in the room snapped their heads at this reply. The man was chilling and hateful. His eyes were cold. It was evident that he had been a soldier all his life.

"Very well Mr. Penn. If you will not tell us whom you are working for, at least tell us where you come from," stated Zechs.

"I will tell you nothing, for we are all dead men in the end."

Zechs was growing impatient. He did not wish to lose his temper with this man. He was a valuable hostage who could answer all of the questions that had been raised over the last couple of weeks.

"Sally, administer the sedative," commanded Lady Une.

Sally nodded and walked toward prisoner. She leaned down and rolled up the man's shirtsleeve. She swabbed the area she was about to prick with a needle with alcohol. As she administered the drug the man looked into the eyes of each of the rooms occupants.

"You know, you really should be monitoring the Earth's security right now instead of your own," he said coldly.

This statement raised alarm. Sally stopped abruptly, shocked at the man's words. Before she could react however, the man grabbed the gun that was holstered at her waist. He pushed Sally onto the ground. All in the room, who had guns, raised their own weapons to meet the man's.

"Put the weapon down at once!" shouted Lady Une.

"Do as she says if you value your life," retorted Zechs.

Clancy smirked slightly and raised the gun. There was sadness in his eyes as he spoke his next words,

"That's the thing…I don't."

With that, he raised the gun to his head and pulled the trigger.

"No!" screamed Relena as the shot rang throughout the room.

Sally still somewhat dizzy from the blow she had taken crawled over to the lifeless form that lay sprawled on the floor in a pool of crimson blood. She touched the man feeling for a pulse, then shook her head sadly.

"Why?" Hilde asked out loud.

"Because he gave us too much information," said Heero from the corner of the room. His gun was still in his hand. All in the room looked at him gravely. He continued,

"Before we left Quatre's estate, I took the liberty to search the man. I found this on him," said the Gundam pilot as he held up a disk in his hand. "On this disk are the layout plans to a secret base on colony L1. It must be where this man was from. It also must be where he was planning to take Relena had he succeeded with his mission. The disk holds security codes and passwords for the base. Thanks to him, we have these now."

"He knew that they would come for him, because he knew that Heero had the codes. That's why he killed himself," said Zechs who stared at the body.

"All right, I want everyone to retire for the what's left of the night. Noin, show Relena to a room. She needs some rest," said Lady Une.

"We all do," muttered Duo.

"I would like for everyone to meet here tomorrow for an important meeting. I will give you a specific time in the morning. Until then, you are all dismissed. Zechs send someone in to clean up this… mess," said Lady Une as she walked out of the room.

The following morning…

Heero had spent much of the morning working alongside of Duo and the rest of the mechanics on the Gundams. The braided pilot had so far done a wonderful job supervising the reconstruction. With the pace that they were working at and with about ten mechanics working on each Gundam, they would be completed in just a few more weeks. That is if they had that much time.

Heero shrugged the horrible thought from his mind. Right now he needed to concentrate of the Wing Zero. He had taken charge of it ever since he set foot on the space station.

"Heero buddy, why don't you take a break like a normal person?" cried Duo from across the bay.

"Hn," was the only reply.

"Whatever, man," said the braided pilot as he started to work once more on the soon-to-be cockpit of Deathscythe.

"All right let's see how the communicator works," he said to himself as he switched it on. However, as soon as he did so, sparks began to fly, and Duo jumped out of his seat.

"Ouch! Damn it!" he screamed. He waved his injured hand around in the air and shook his head.

"Duo! What happened? Are you hurt?" cried Hilde as she ran up to him.

"No babe, I'm fine. Shit! I thought I had installed the communicator perfectly yesterday. Now, today, when I try to switch it on, it practically blows up in my face!"

"Obviously you made a mistake," said Hilde grinning slightly.

"No, I could have swore I put it in properly."

"Duo, maybe you should just take a break for a few. I know we have to meet a deadline, but we also need you to be in tip top shape to do it."

"Hilde…"

She put a finger up to his mouth. She then leaned and whispered something to him. Duo started to grin from ear to ear. Hilde pulled away and looked at him almost shyly.

"Is that a promise?" Duo joked.

"Maybe, we'll just have to see."

"Hey babe! Whatever you say!" he said as he swung his arm around her shoulders and led her out of the bay.

Heero smirked at the two of them as they left. So Duo was finally with Hilde. That was almost hard to imagine.

Heero decided to follow the braided pilot's advice though. He hoped down from a platform he had been working on, and took a seat next to his Gundam. The body of the massive mobile suit was pretty much complete. He leaned against one of the legs. How long had it been since he had slept? He couldn't remember. He had been awake the entire might before, looking over the disk that Clancy Penn had held. It would indeed prove to be very helpful to them.

Heero slowly closed his eyes and relaxed. He felt himself being lulled into darkness. His body finally receiving the long needed rest it yearned for.

He was running, running from an unknown enemy, but the fear that gripped inside of him pushed him on. Sweat covered his battered body. And the heat that surrounded him was too much for even the Perfect Soldier to handle. He didn't know where he was it was too dark. So dark that he couldn't even see his hand on front of his face. But he just kept running, running away from the enemy, something that he had never done before. 

_He suddenly stopped. He was alone. Nothing chase after him now, the fear that had seized his heart was now gone. He heard a voice calling his name. He turned towards the direction of the voice._

_"Heero."_

_"Heero where are you?"_

_Heero began to make his way towards a pale light. The closer he came to it, the louder the voice became._

_"Heero."_

_Then the light was gone, darkness enveloped him, and the fear over took him once more._

Heero awoke with a start. He was breathing heavily and a cold sweat covered his forehead. Someone was calling his name.

"Heero? Heero are you in here?"

Relena appeared amidst the mechanics and machines that were moving about in the bay. She spotted him standing up from the foot of his Gundam and walked over to him.

"There you are, Duo said that I might find you here. Lady Une wishes to speak with us…" she paused and looked at Heero carefully. "Heero, are you all right?"

"I'm fine," he answered curtly.

"But…"

"Relena you have more important things to worry about than me. Focus on them," said Heero as he moved past her.

Relena felt pain run through her as he spoke those words. He was still the cold and unemotional person that she had met years ago. She didn't understand why he wouldn't at least talk to her in the slightest. She was about to turn and go when Heero's deep voice stopped her,

"You haven't changed at all."

Relena turned to look at him. His back was turned towards her; he had just finished putting his tools away. He continued,

"You always worry and care so much for others."

"Heero, please don't tell me this… not now," she said trying to hold back the tears and pain in her voice.

Heero turned around surprised at her response. He stared at her. But she had turned her gaze to the ground so that he would not see her eyes. He walked over to her and stood directly in front of her.

"What's wrong Relena?"

It was not only the question; it was the sincerity with which he spoke it. She gazed at him her eyes wide with an unfamiliar emotion.

"I… I… I have to go. The meeting…" and with that she fled from the bay before Heero could respond.

She passed Duo on the way out. He stared at her questioningly. He then turned his gaze toward Heero who was looking in the direction that the young woman had just taken. Duo smirked.

"Heero, been looking for you. But I guess I wasn't the first to find you."

"Hn," said Heero as he and Duo made their way towards Lady Une's office.

"Relena sure has become quite the woman these past years, I must say," Duo babbled on.

"What are you insinuating?" asked Heero coldly.

"Oh nothing really, I mean well…"

Heero stopped abruptly and looked at the fellow pilot. Duo tried to act serious.

"Well Heero, I mean do you care for her?"

"It is my mission to protect her," replied Heero as he continued to walk once more.

"Well I know that but I mean do you think that you might have stronger feelings for her?"

Heero froze once more and turned to look at Duo again.

"Do you mean _love_?" he asked.

"Yeah!" said Duo excitedly hoping to receive a fruitful answer.

Heero's eyes changed for that moment. Duo saw this and grew very serious. Heero did not show his emotions. This was indeed a rarity. But, the thing that bothered Duo even more was the hint of sadness that his blues orbs possessed. Heero spoke gravely,

"I do not know what love is."

Heero continued to walk down the corridor towards their destination. Duo stood for a moment in shock at the words that Heero had just spoken, but soon ran to catch up with his fellow pilot.

AN: All right. This chapter is complete. Some very interesting information was put into this chapter so I hope that you read it closely. (Just like all of the others right?) Anyways… some good stuff coming up in the second half of this story. I really hope that you enjoy it. Right now, I know exactly what I wish to write. It just takes much longer than expected to actually write it! But I can assure you that there is more action coming up and more important information too. More Heero and Relena interactions as well as Duo and Hilde. ( I really love those two couples!) Please send me your comments and reviews any time! WildRose1404aol.com


	11. Chapter 10

AN: Chapter 10. SOOOOOOOOOOO…. Sorry that I haven't submitted in a while. First off I didn't have the internet, secondly, once I did get new internet I had to change my e-mail address. So yeah it's been a while and I'm going to give you two new chapters! Yeah! Wow, seems like this story is much longer than what it really is. I think that for the last couple of chapters I forgot to put a disclaimer up. So please do not sue me any one. I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters. I just love the show and all of the things that comes with it. Please enjoy this chapter!

IMPORTANT FROM NOW ON I WILL NOT POST UP ANOTHER CHAPTER UNLESS I RECEIVE AT LEAST FIVE MORE REVIEWS FROM PEOPLE. I HAVE ONLY RECEIVED A FEW SO FAR. I NEED TO KNOW IF YOU LIKE THIS STORY OR NOT. IF INTEREST IS TOO LOW I WILL NOT CONTINUE TO WRITE. SO PLEASE READ AND REVIEW. I LOVE TO HEAR ALL THE COMMENTS. (NO FLAMES PLEASE!) THIS IS JUST MY FIRST MULTIPART FIC!

"After looking over the disk of information that Mr. Penn used to hold, I have come to a conclusion. I wish to send someone in undercover to this place. This person will gather all the information they can about this group, whoever they may be. We need to know what materials they have, what they are capable of, and most importantly, who their leader is."

"Who have you chosen Commander?" asked Noin.

"Since many of you already have your duties to uphold, I have chosen Wufei to go in. Now Wufei, on the disk I am about to give you, there are security codes and passwords. You must learn all of them. Mr. Penn also held an identification card. You will use it when necessary."

Wufei nodded his head in affirmation. He was glad that he wouldn't have to be a mechanic for a little while.

Sally spoke up,

"Commander, I have an announcement. Early this morning I took the liberty to research Mr. Penn's background. And I made a strange discovery. Mr. Penn was originally from Earth, North America to be precise."

"So maybe he liked it better in the colonies?" Duo half-joked.

"No, I don't think so. He was living in North America during the war. He kept a low profile. Nothing about him being a soldier or belonging to any organization. However, his criminal record was a mile long. It went from armed burglary to even murder."

"But he was positioned out on the colonies?" asked Lady Une.

"Yes."

"Perhaps he was hired as some sort of mercenary for this group?" suggested Quatre.

"We'll see. Wufei, when you go in, try to find out more about this," Lady Une said. "Now, that that is taken care of, I wish to move on to our second matter at hand. I wish to reinforce the Vice Foreign Minister's security."

Relena moved forward with a start.

"Things are fine the way they are. I can assure you that with Heero, Trowa, and Quatre I am perfectly…"

"Relena please try to understand that we can not take any risk at all," interrupted the head of Preventers. "Besides, you well know that I am not the head of your security."

Relena glared at her brother across the room, who simply stood unemotionally. She knew he would pull a stunt like this. The last thing she wanted was bodyguards surrounding her all the time.

Relena excused herself as politely as possible and left the office. Everyone sensed the tension in the room rise as she left.

Lady Une continued though,

"Zechs and a few other Preventers will be accompanying you from now on," Lady Une said to Heero, Trowa, and Quatre. "It's not that you aren't doing a good job, it's just that with things the way they are…"

"Understood," Heero stated without any emotion.

"Good. Well that is all. This meeting is adjourned."

Mobile suits careened through outer space. Their destination: Earth. Some were manned and some were dolls, but all were aiming for destruction.

Leading them was a suit larger than the rest of the fleet. The massive body of the machine was painted black and crimson red. In its left hand it carried a large sword, capable of slicing through anything it wanted. Death lingered wherever it went. And fear was spread when its name was mentioned. The Gundam called Gehenna made its way towards the Earth.

Inside the cockpit of Gehenna the communicator kicked on,

"Bret my boy, I see that you are doing as you have been told. Good job. However, I believe that your man did not succeed in his mission as I was told he would."

"We won't be seeing him anymore," replied Bret Mavica coldly.

"I'll think of another way to get the Vice Foreign Minister. But for now, I want you to hit Earth and hit them hard. You have your coordinates. Oh and Bret," said the man.

"Yes sir?"

"Don't screw up like your friend."

The communication was shut off. Mavica prepared himself for the attack he and his team were about to uphold.

Relena sat on her bed, holding her head in her hands. She was so frustrated at the moment. _Milliardo only wishes to do what he deems best. I am after all, the only family he has left. Besides, if anything were to happen to me, the peace would corrupt._ The thoughts made her feel better, but also managed to send a shiver up her spine.

Relena took a deep breath and counted to ten. She closed her eyes and tried to relax. So much had happened the last two weeks. So many events had taken place and so many people had entered or reentered her life, one in particular.

Heero: The thought of him made her feel strange. During the war, she had such an infatuation with him it was almost sickening. In fact, when Relena looked back, she cursed herself for behaving in such a way. When everything had ended, she was disappointed that he had left, but accepted the fact that he needed to find a place in the world for himself. She too, needed to grow out of her own childish ways and start to act like the young woman she was meant to be. And she played the part beautifully.

She considered herself over the Perfect Soldier, telling herself it was a simple schoolgirl crush. And the thought worked for a while. When she thought about him, it was more the fact that she was proud to have known such an extraordinary human being. Then all this happened.

Seeing him again after so long had certainly surprised her. And all of the memories from the past came flooding through her mind. Their encounters with each other, the many times he had saved her life and the deep infatuation that she carried for him. She felt the same feelings creep up on her that had years ago. That and something more, something deeper, and much more terrifying than any schoolgirl crush. This new feeling made her lose her whole composure whenever he was around her. She couldn't understand it.

She didn't notice many changes in his demeanor. He was still emotionless and cold. His eyes still stormed with a Prussian blue hurricane. And he was still the soldier he had always been, ready to fight at any cost. Ready to protect her with his life. A promise which had had kept for years and would never break.

Relena smiled at the thought. The promise to protect her was always a comfort. The memories that it sent through her mind were soothing and tranquil.

Her thoughts were invaded when a knock came on her door.

"Come in," she replied quickly drying the few tears that had made their way down her flushed cheeks.

The door opened revealing Zechs. He was hesitant at first to enter the room, but forced himself forward despite the warnings he kept sending to his mind.

"Relena please do not be angry with me. I only want what is best for you."

"Milliardo, I am no longer angry. I'm sorry for the way I behaved earlier. It's just the past couple of weeks have been long and tedious. I understand the reason behind your decision."

Zechs walked over and sat down next to his younger sister on the bed.

"It's just that I care so much about you. I don't know what I would do, if anything were to happen. Relena, you must understand, you are the only family I have left."

"And the same goes for you brother. Remember that I will always love you, even if we do not always agree."

Zechs smiled. He could most certainly see why she got along with nearly everyone. Her character was soothing and peaceful. The smile that she wore on her face right now lighted up her blue eyes. But Zechs could soon see it start to disappear almost as quickly as it had come.

Relena looked away with downcast eyes. She focused her gaze onto the white sheets of her bed.

"Milliardo, what were our parents like?"

Her question certainly shocked him. She had never asked him about the Peacecrafts before. It was indeed a painful thing for both of them. He stumbled over his next words,

"Well, it was such a long time ago. And… and although I was young, I remember them both very well. I suppose I look a lot like father did the same hair and stature. You, you took after mother. Beautiful in about every way; the way she moved and spoke. I suppose we both received her blue eyes though. And of course, you have father's political skills, something I could never learn," he said with great sadness in his voice.

Relena looked at her brother with a single tear rolling down her cheek.

"Milliardo, you can do anything I can. You just have to have the confidence to do it. I know you can, I believe in you…"

"Relena, I chose my path a long time ago. I can not choose otherwise now. But, I will always be here at your side when you need me."

With that he stood up. He bent over and lightly kissed her on the forehead, then left leaving her with her own thoughts.

As Zechs shut Relena's door behind him, a gentle voice spoke,

"She's so lucky to have a brother like you Milliardo."

He spun around to meet Noin's kind and gentle eyes.

"How much of that did you hear?"

"Enough," Noin said with a small smile.

Zechs managed to let out a grin. He stepped closer to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Noin reacted by encircling her arms around his neck.

"Milliardo, when you leave tomorrow, please be careful."

"You know I will Lucrezia."

"Yes, but things are much more different than what they were during the war."

Zechs looked into her worried eyes. He spoke his next words with true sincerity,

"I love you Lucrezia, and I will always return for you."

Noin managed a small but sad smile before she replied,

"I know."

They leaned towards each other and as their lips were about to meet a Preventer ran towards them through the corridor, tearing them apart.

"To the Commander's office right away! Another attack has been launched upon the earth!"

Zechs and Noin sprinted down the corridor without question. The Preventer lagged behind trying to keep up.

4 hours later…

"Senator Duncan, please. Try to remain calm. I am doing the best I can. I urge you not to make any accusations against the colonies until we have proof of who is behind this."

"I know damn well, who is behind all of this! It's those colonials! They think that they are oppressed. Always wanting others to feel sorry for their poor pathetic situation! What about us? We are the ones who have been attacked repeatedly!"

"Senator," said Relena. "If you please. As I said I am doing the best I can. My tour was postponed but I will pick it up once again tomorrow. I promise you that through negotiations we can solve this problem. You are only making matters worse by causing uproar."

The middle-aged man who had been speaking to the young woman over the Vidphone fumed with anger. But seconds later he tried to remain the calm and dignified politician he was elected to be.

"Very well, my dear. But I am only doing this for your sake. Some others will not be as reluctant as I."

"Yes and I understand that perfectly. The best thing you can do to help me right now though is to spread my message: No one shall make any accusations against the colonies. No arms shall be taken up; no declaration of war shall be made. In other words, nothing is to be done without my consultation. Understood?"

"Perfectly. Good luck to you. I shall do my best. But if anything else happens…"

"I can assure you I am doing the best I can to prevent that. Goodbye Senator Duncan."

Relena shut down the communication line. Over the past three hours she had been speaking with earth as well as colonial delegates and politicians. Three more attacks on the Earth had just been made: Two in Japan and one in Europe around Italy. Again, the attacks were in major cities that were filled with important politicians and members of the ESUN.

Relena rubbed her stiff neck. She was struggling to keep her eyes open. Luckily there had been no casualties during these attacks, however, the toll of the injured was climbing and the destruction was rated as devastating.

The Vidphone blinked again with an urgent message. Relena accepted the call. The screen soon showed Representative Clemens looking as ragged and weary as she was.

"Your tour seems to be working very well," he said curtly.

"I am glad that you think so," replied Relena remembering that they had reason to suspect the old man. The thought that he might have actually planned the attacks infuriated her. However, she quickly reminded herself not to jump to any conclusions.

"Minister Darlian, I thought I told you that the longer you wait to make your move, the more complicated the situation will become."

"How may I do so when the puzzle is yet to be solved?" retorted Relena using one of her political defenses.

"Clever girl, but it won't work. I know all about you: your political moves and defenses. Be careful with your next move Minister."

Relena widened her eyes in surprise.

"Is that a threat Representative Clemens?"

"Consider it a warning," said the old man before he shut off the conversation completely.

Five young men stood inside the large Preventers spaceport. They each stared outside of a massive window, totally unaware of anything but each other. Earth was just outside the window, the seas of green and blue reflecting in the light of space. And the colonies were near by glowing with the light and energy that they needed to survive.

The young men stood in silence. Each was in a different position; each had different thoughts running through his head. Most of the thoughts however, were memories from the past that flooded through their minds like waterfalls.

"I told myself that I would never have to fight again. But deep down I think I knew that things would come to this," spoke Quatre softly breaking the silence.

"We all did," muttered Trowa.

Duo shifted from his position uncomfortably. "Man, I hate the fact that we can't do anything to stop these guys. They have a Gundam, and a really powerful one at that. Until we finish reconstruction on our own Gundams, there's nothing to do but watch as people's lives are destroyed."

"Well one thing is for sure," said Wufei as he stared out the window, "when the Gundams are rebuilt justice will be served. I can promise you that."

"Yeah, our only problem is that time is not on our side," muttered the braided pilot sadly.

"Duo," started Quatre. "Do you think that you could have the Gundams completed within the next two weeks?"

"I don't know, man. With the rate thing are moving right now with the attacks and all, I doubt that we will finish before an all out war breaks loose. Plus I'd need about twenty more people to get on this thing if we want to jump the ball."

"Well, I'm sure that that can be arranged," Quatre insisted. "I can call Rasheed and the Magnuacs to help."

"That would be just peachy. Except we still need more time. We're not just building five mobile dolls here."

"It's up to Relena," said Heero suddenly.

The others looked at him curiously. Then Trowa spoke,

"Heero's correct. Right now the only one who can buy us time to complete the Gundams is Relena. She must continue with her tour in order to keep the colonies and Earth from declaring war."

"Yes," added Quatre, "and it is up to us to help her with that. We must make sure that nothing happens to her, not only because she is Vice Foreign Minister, but because she is a friend."

Trowa and Duo nodded their heads approvingly and Wufei gave a small grunt. Heero simply stood still his eyes unreadable as usual.

"Well," said Duo, "I'm beat and I think we all need to get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a big day."

The pilots dispersed and went their separate ways, except for Heero. He still stood, as still as a statue, overlooking the vastness of outer space.

"I promise that I will protect you Relena, at any cost."

AN: Well that's it for this chapter. By the way if you have sent me an email in the last month and a half I prolly didn't get it cuz I had to switch servers. So please email me again at this new address so I can read your comments and respond to you guys. Email WildRose1404earthlink.net

Gehenna- this is a word that is a synonym for fire hell, death; you know all that good stuff.


	12. Chapter 11

AN: First off if you sent me a review, comments, etc., I would like to thank you for your support. Because of you I will keep writing. Secondly this is chapter 11! I never thought that I would make it this far, but I have. I promise that I will finish this story one way or another. However once again I am asking for reviews or comments if you wish for another chapter to be posted. Thank you!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters. I do own some of the other characters in here such as Bret Mavica so please do not steal my ideas.

"Relena are you ready?" asked Zechs gently to his younger sister.

Relena took a deep breath. She could do this. She would do this. The fate of both the colonies and earth was lying on her shoulders. She was determined to make sure things would go the way she wanted them to.

"Yes, open the door."

Zechs nodded to Trowa, who nodded in reply as he opened the door to the car and stepped out. He offered his hand to Relena and helped her out of the car. Immediately, bright lights flashed all around her and she could hear hundreds of voices shooting questions towards her.

"Minister Darlian, what comments do you have to make about yesterday's attacks on earth?"

"Vice Minister, do you believe that the organization behind the attacks will be controlled before war results?"

"What about the colonies, is it true that the people behind these attacks are actually colonist looking for power and freedom from the ESUN?"

Relena pushed through the crowd of reporters with the help of Trowa and her brother. Quatre followed her at her side reassuringly. Behind the two of them walked Heero who scanned the throng of people with the eyes of a hawk.

Relena stopped suddenly as a voice shouted out to her,

"Minister Darlian, all we keep hearing is no comment, no comment. Are you going to keep hiding this situation in the dark forever?"

Relena turned to look at a man who looked no older than she did. He was the one who had asked the question. His voice was tainted with anger and as he spoke to her, Relena felt hatred directed towards her.

"Some people," continued the young reporter, "believe that the peace with the Earth and colonies has already been diminished. What say you to this?"

Relena stared at the young man, hiding the emotion that was burning within her with a mask that she held up during circumstances such as these,

"We are not at war yet. And as I recall, people of both the earth and colonies still wish for the peace we had to continue. As for commenting on this, I shall assure you all that once we learn more about this situation, the people will hear all that they need to know."

Relena nodded to the rest of the crowd then continued to make her way toward a large gray building where an important meeting between the colonial members of the ESUN was about to begin. Relena looked back once at the reporter who had just questioned her. The man was staring at her, hatred evidently still burning in his eyes. She shuddered inside.

Heero noticing the look in Relena's eyes as she took one last look at the, in his opinion "baka", reporter, turned at shot a death glare at the man. The reporter shrunk back terrified at the bodyguard's cold Prussian eyes.

Finally they reached the building. As they made their way through the main lobby, more people surrounded the young Vice Foreign Minister. They were mainly Ambassadors, and representatives of the colonies. Relena assured them all that she would answer their questions during the meeting.

Once inside the meeting room Relena and Quatre took their seats. Heero took a place by Relena's side while Trowa positioned himself by the doorway near Quatre. Zechs was posted outside the conference room with several other Preventers. They had decided to take no chances this time.

The meeting however passed without any problems save several arguments that arose between several old men. They were abruptly brought to a halt though when Relena stepped in.

Heero noticed the way Relena acted when she was around these people. She had such dignity and manners. She was calm, passive, and extremely intelligent. She always had been so in the first place. Heero had always had the highest respect for her. But, here, this was indeed her playing field. The warfront that she attacked day in and day out with such skill. And by the look in her eyes, though she was extremely tired, Heero could tell that she loved every moment of it.

Preventer Space port…

Wufei stood at the docking bay waiting for the shuttle to take him to L1 where he would begin his investigation undercover. All he carried was a brown duffel bag, which held a few possessions. Commander Une had all ready given him last minute orders. Although the mission was dangerous, in Wufei's mind he saw it as a piece of cake.

"I see that you are ready to go," said a quiet voice from behind him.

The pilot turned around to see Sally. Her eyes were downcast.

"That I am," he replied curtly.

"Well, all I wanted to say was… well take care of yourself Chang."

"Humph! Woman why do you worry yourself so much?"

At this comment Sally looked up at Wufei's face her eyes burning.

"Damn your stubborn pride! All I came to say was goodbye and take care! I just wanted you to know that I do care for your well being considering we're partners and all! But, no, every time I try to be your friend you come back at me with a sexist remark!"

Wufei stood dumbfounded by her sudden outburst.

"Oooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh!" seethed Sally as she began to stomp away from him. But Wufei's next words made her stop dead in her tracks.

"Sally, thank you… for caring about me. But I'm telling you now, that this isn't goodbye, not yet." He turned and walked to his awaiting shuttle, but not before catching a glimpse of the deep blush that was covering Sally's cheeks. He smirked to himself.

4 days later…

Duo was conversing with Howard. Things were going according to plan so far. Plus, thanks to Quatre, the Magnuacs had arrived adding to the crew. Thanks to them they were ahead of schedule and the Gundams would be ready within a couple of days. Also, Relena had been upholding her end of the bargain as well managing to keep the people of Earth and the colonies from declaring war just yet. Yes, things were definitely going well. But Duo was not about to get his hopes up yet.

"Howard, right now, we need to get someone to double check the buster rifle of the Wing Zero. The other day it was malfunctioning and so were the new planetary defenses that I just installed on all of the Gundams."

"I just finished with the Wing Zero," said Rasheed as he walked up to the two men wiping away the grease from his hands.

"Jesus what would we do without you guys?" exclaimed Howard.

"You would be struggling to keep up with your schedule," replied Rasheed cheerfully.

"We sure would," muttered Duo.

"Besides," continued the Magnuac, "Any friends of Master Quatre are our friends as well."

"Well," said Duo, "I'm going to go find Hilde."

Duo walked through the massive working bay in search of the young woman. He found her at the foot of Deathscythe fast asleep. Duo smiled as he approached her small form. She looked so peaceful and calm. He knelt down beside her and gently shook her shoulders.

Hilde whimpered slightly, and then fluttered her blue eyes open. To her surprise she was met with violet eyes and a cheerful smile. Suddenly Hilde remembered where she was. She furrowed her brow in worry and looked away from Duo, upset that she had fallen asleep when they had work to do.

"Sorry, I guess I didn't realize how tired I was," she said sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it babe. I think we could all use a few more hours of sleep."

"Yeah, but that's no excuse. We have work that needs to be done. I shouldn't have drifted off…" Duo grabbed Hilde gently by the shoulders and looked into her eyes.

"Hilde, you're fine."

She smiled at him warmly; a smile that lit up her entire face.

"Yes but I should be getting back to work, just like you, Maxwell."

She shoved him aside playfully as she rose to her feet. Grabbing a box of tools she began to climb into the cockpit of Deathscythe. Duo smirked, quite amused as he watched Hilde set to work. In the past he had been the only person who had ever dared to work on his Gundam. But things were different now.

Duo crawled up to the cockpit to join Hilde. She was behind the pilot's seat apparently engaged with something of importance. _Probably some last minute adjustments_ thought Duo to himself. All of the Gundams were nearly complete. Thanks to the Magnuacs. Their skills were quite commendable. Plus thanks to Quatre's longtime alliance with them, they had agreed to use their piloting skills to join forces with the Preventers if the need were to arise.

Duo gripped the controls of Deathscythe. Instantly he felt himself change. Memories flooded through his mind. His face grew serious and his violet eyes lost their cheerfulness. Duo also knew that in that instant, Death reunited with him as a companion once more.

Hilde, in the mean time, was currently engaged in fixing the planetary defense system. A small hatch that was located behind the pilot's seat of the Gundam was where she found the wires that she needed to work with. She dug around looking for what she needed. Yet what she found made her stop her work abruptly.

"Duo, Duo come here and look at this."

Upon hearing Hilde's voice, Duo snapped out of his death-like trance. He crawled out of his seat and crouched down next to Hilde.

"What is it babe?"

"Remember how you said you could have sworn the planetary defense system was installed correctly?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, I think I figured out why it's not working," replied Hilde quietly as she pointed to the mass of wires inside the hatch.

Duo followed to where her slender white finger was pointing. He immediately froze. Some of the wires had been snapped in two. And from what Duo could tell, the act had been committed intentionally.

Relena's dreary mood hadn't changed drastically within the past few days. As far as she could tell, the alliance between the Earth and the colonies was beginning to mend itself, but quite slowly. However, there hadn't been an attack against earth for several days. That at least had improved.

The past several days she pushed and pushed for colonial delegates and Earth delegates to set aside their differences before the ESUN was corrupted entirely. It had somewhat worked. She was currently trying to sink into their heads what might happen should the ESUN fail. She felt so alone. She felt as if the weight of the universe was riding on just her shoulders.

Of course her companions stood by her side faithfully. Quatre was a marvel. His political strategies and people skills were really quite amazing. He charmed everyone he met, and made friends quickly with high political officials. He was the one who was spreading her ideas and plans for future peace.

Then there was Zechs. Her ever-faithful brother, who supported her through out it all. He not only kept her security on its toes, but also gave her much needed advice. Not to mention a shoulder to lean on when she needed it.

Of course Trowa was the silent but an ever-watchful companion. Relena could see no emotion within the pilot's eyes. He always kept a calm and resourceful looking mask upon his handsome face.

Then of course there was Heero. Though she still felt incredibly uneasy around the Perfect Soldier, she found herself gaining her confidence back slowly when he was around. Yet despite all this, the emotions that she felt for him burned fiercer than ever, still terrorizing her young mind.

Right now Relena was lying down on her bed in the lovely hotel suite she had been given. Right now, the party was on L3 and would continue to tour the colonies until peace was finally insured. All day Relena had been attending meetings with politicians and colonial officials. So far, despite a few arguments, things had gone well that day. She now had three hours to rest before her next engagement. A formal dinner party that was to be held at the Ambassador of L3's private home. She silently prayed that it would remain small and simple, unlike the last party she had attended.

As she was about to drift off to sleep, Relena heard a light tap on her door. She opened up her eyes and sat up groggily.

"Come in," she replied.

As the door opened, a tall young man with unruly brown hair and Prussian eyes stepped into the room. He walked straight towards the young girl and stood in front of her by the bed. No emotion could be seen through his mask. The girl who sat on the bed before him suddenly seemed uncomfortable.

Heero slightly shifted his weight. Since the tour began Relena had become so tense it was incredible. It bothered him a great deal. Like she was hiding something from him. That was indeed why he had come to see her. To try to find out what had been bothering her these past few weeks. And he didn't mean just the threat of war. But what was really bothering her that was making her so tense outside of the political arena.

"Heero… can I help you with something?"

Her question helped him to snap out of his thoughts. He cursed himself for letting his mind drift, but did not show this to the young woman.

"I wanted to make sure that you were feeling well."

Relena was startled. Heero Yuy was actually making sure that she was all right. He had never let concern show towards others. But right now she could see the faintest hint of it deep inside of his eyes. She smiled slightly as she looked away from him.

"I suppose I am," she answered meekly.

"But you are not sure?"

"I don't know." Relena said shaking her head sadly.

"Relena," Heero said as he knelt down in front of her, "what bothers you? It has clearly been affecting you diplomatic duties as well as your personal being."

Relena stared at him blankly. What he had said he had said unemotionally and somewhat coldly. She had tried to hide herself within a mask such as he did, but that obviously didn't work well with Heero Yuy.

"Heero, why are you doing this to me?"

"You need to be well physically, mentally, and emotionally to complete the task that you have undertaken, Relena."

"And you are saying that I am not?" she cried as she stood up from the bed and moved away from him. She started to pace the room; closing her eyes and taking deep breathes.

"Relena please, let me help you," said Heero as he started to approach her.

"Why?" she asked. "So that you can complete your mission? I am quite sure that this is why you are here. Your mission is to protect me. Protecting me means to protect the peace that you and I and so many others have fought for years to uphold."

Heero had never heard such an outburst from the girl in all the time he had known her. And for once in his life he was speechless. And for the first time in his life he felt something churn deep inside of him. Her words were strong and spoken well. They rang with the truth yet at the same time he felt the need to renounce what she had just said.

"Relena, my mission is to protect you. Not only for the sake of peace, but because you are the one person who I truly believe in. I believe your ideas. They give just a simple soldier, like me, hope for a better future."

Now it was Relena's turn to be silent. Heero had never said so much to her before. His words, although spoken unemotionally, were spoken with true meaning and a deeper emotion than she might have actually guessed at the time.

"Why do I feel so weak, Heero? Like everything is depending on me?" she cried.

"Because people are foolish enough to place their own troubles on a young woman. But the people need a leader, Relena. To guide them out of dark times like these. You must be strong no matter what happens."

Relena smiled warmly at the young man.

"Thank you Heero."

Heero nodded curtly then proceeded to leave the room. Yet on his way out the door, he heard her soft voice speaking to him once more.

"You're not just a soldier Heero Yuy."

He continued to walk down the hallway of the motel, but at that moment something changed inside of him. The last words she had spoken filled him with a strange emotion, one that he could not place or understand. He passed Quatre on his way down the hall; unaware of the puzzled expression on his face as he pondered what she ad just said.

"Hey Heero!" greeted the blonde hair pilot. But Heero didn't reply he just kept walking back towards his own room. Quatre however, saw the emotion of the Perfect Soldier's face that had never been there before. The Sandrock pilot stood amazed as he watched Heero continue on his way.

Trowa now walked up behind his friend.

"Quatre, what's wrong?"

"She finally got through to him," replied the young man with a small smile on his face.

Bret Mavica found himself striding through large metal doors that led into the spacious office.

"Has your sources confirmed the new information?" asked a deep and unfriendly voice.

"Yes sir, they have. The Gundams are being rebuilt. My people are doing everything possible to delay their reconstruction, but due to the current circumstances…"

"Damn the current circumstances!" screamed the man. Mavica felt his heart leap inside his chest. This was the last thing that he had wanted to happen. His leader continued,

"I want _your_ people to delay their little reconstruction permanently! I don't care what it takes! But I want it done tonight!"

"Sir, what would you order them to do?"

"Bret, my boy, what do you think? I want them to destroy the entire project. That way we can not only destroy all the Gundams with one single blow, but also eliminate several people who are in my way. We shall kill two birds with one stone."

Mavica closed his dark eyes and took a deep breath,

"Sir, what about the Vice Foreign Minister?"

"We shall deal with her once more when the time comes. She made a bold move standing up for the colonies. She also made another bold move by allowing the Gundams to be rebuilt. She will receive hers soon enough. I don't care how many Gundam pilots are trying to protect her right now. When we hit her we will hit her hard. There will be no way or her to get out alive. I can guarantee you that."

"Very well, sir. I trust that you will tell me when the time comes."

"I will, my boy, I will."

AN: That's it folks! Did you like? The suspense is building no? LOL. I just love writing this fic! The next chapter will be exciting I hope. Please send your reviews and comments to me. Remember, if I do not receive at least 5 reviews I will discontinue writing this fic. I really hoe you are enjoying it. Email me at WildRose1404earthlink.net 


	13. Chapter 12

AN: Well Hello! Once again I would like to thank you all for sending me a review or comment! I love the and absolutely appreciate them! This is chapter 12! YES! This chapter promises some action and more plot developments! I'm so excited to see how this story will end. I hope that you are too. Thank you and remember to review or send a comment to me if you wish to see another chapter. Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.

Colony L1 enemy base….

For days Wufei had been hiding within the shadows. He had discovered the enemy's base just where Lady Une and Heero had said it would be. An old warehouse on colony L1. At first things seemed standard enough. Wufei wasn't even sure if he was in the right place. The warehouse was simply full of boxes of all sizes. The people who were working there were not and did nothing out of the ordinary to make them seem criminal, let alone making them seem associated with a terrorist group. Wufei had even opened several of the boxes to see if they contained weapons or any type of biological warfare. Instead he found clothing, artificial flowers, tools, and just about any other item you could think of. To him it just seemed like a normal storage facility and he cursed himself for even being assigned the mission.

On the third day of his mission however, he picked up an interesting piece of information. While listening in on a conversation held by two workers one day, he heard that Representative Clemens of L3 colony owned the warehouse itself. This news pushed Wufei to investigate further. Why would a man from L3, especially a diplomat, wish to own a warehouse such as this? Clearly something was amiss.

That's when Wufei discovered it. At the very back of the warehouse was where the largest storage boxes were kept. While walking back there one day, he caught sight of two uniformed men: carrying firearms.

Wufei ducked in between some boxes to keep out of sight. He blended in with the shadows as he watched the two men draw near him. Suddenly they disappeared into one of the large wooden crates. Wufei blinked his eyes. They were there one minute and gone the next. He hopped out from his hiding place and stood right where the two men had just been.

"A secret door," he muttered under his breath.

He began to feel around, trying to locate a switch of some kind that would activate the door. After ten minutes without success, the Chinese man growled in irritation.

"Injustice!" he cried as he punched the wooden crate.

Suddenly side of the box slid open and revealed a set of stairs led down. Wufei grumbled again but began to cautiously make his way down the winding staircase, his gun caulked and ready.

He reached the end of the winding staircase. No enemy had been sighted yet. He now found himself in a long gray corridor. The only door was apparently at the end of the hallway. Again Wufei proceeded cautiously to his destination. He reached the door. He tried to open it but found that it was locked. He looked around. A card slot had been placed next to the door on the wall. Wufei looked at the security card that he had been given. Lady Une had told him to review the security codes and passwords and to use the identification he had obtained when necessary. Right now it seemed necessary.

Wufei ran the identification card through the slot and held his breath. He did not wish to give himself away should the card fail. But as luck would have it, the card passed and the door unlocked allowing the young man to turn the handle and once again proceed into the unknown.

The next thing Wufei experienced however not what he had expected nor wanted was. After the door opened, Wufei found himself in a large construction bay filled entirely with mobile suits. He quickly ducked behind one of the massive machines as uniformed officers passed by his way. When they had gone he made a quick estimate in his head. The bay was enormous, bigger than the one in the Preventers spaceport. The suits were a new type, but they were nothing the Gundams couldn't handle. He estimated about one hundred suits. _Impressive for a terrorist group but not nearly enough to take over the universe _thought Wufei to himself.

He made his way cautiously through the bay observing each of the suits. None of them seemed to be complete and ready for battle. Where then were the completed mobile suits that the enemy was using to attack earth? They had to be in the base somewhere. Another thing was bothering the young pilot though. He had heard upstairs that Representative Clemens owned the warehouse. Surely the Preventers had proof enough to take him in for questioning. But why would a man of his stature and political background do such a thing?

Wufei nearly slapped himself.

"He wants total independence for the colonies," he whispered to himself quietly.

Preventer's spaceport…

"Captain, are you sure?" asked Lady Une through the Vidphone.

"Yes, he has to be the one. Clemens owns this warehouse. Mobile suits are being constructed below grounds. He has to be the one behind all of this," whispered Wufei through his wristcom.

"Very well, see if you can not find out anything more. We will keep a close watch on Clemens and inform Miss Relena and the others about the information you have discovered. Be careful."

Wufei nodded then disconnected the line.

Lady Une sighed as she looked at Noin.

"We're getting closer."

Noin nodded. This could be there key ticket to solving this mystery. If Wufei checked in later with more news to suspect Clemens further, they would be able to have a warrant for his arrest within minutes.

"Should I make the report, mam?" asked Noin.

"Yes, inform Miss Relena that we have good reason to suspect Clemens further. Tell Merquis to tighten her security just in case. We are so close right now. All we must do now is sit and wait for Wufei to contact us again."

Noin nodded then left the office and down the hall to her own private bunk. She would make the call from there so that she could be sure of a secure line.

"Noin are you sure?" asked Relena worriedly.

"Yes, Relena, we just finished speaking to Wufei only ten minutes ago. He told us he would search more and report back in a few hours."

"Very well, Noin. Keep us informed."

"I will, take care all of you."

"You too," replied Relena before the line disconnected.

"Well I must say that I am shocked," said Quatre quietly.

"I'm not," replied Relena somewhat bitterly. "There has been a sudden change in his demeanor lately. With all that has happened, the way he has been speaking to me, and now this. I hope that we are getting close to finishing all this."

"We are, I can feel it," said Zechs as he patted her on the shoulder reassuringly.

"In the meantime, I suggest we do whatever we need to in order to keep you safe Ms. Relena," Quatre stated.

"I agree," said Zechs.

Relena sighed inwardly. She was just so tired. She still had to attend that formal dinner party too. Clemens would be there. She had to keep and eye on him. She could feel that something was amiss and it wasn't just the new information that they had uncovered.

Enemy base….

Wufei continued to search through the mobile suit bay. He still couldn't find any traces of a completed mobile suit. His frustration was beginning to grow. Wufei impatiently but silently prodded through the working bay, making sure to avoid the mechanics and soldiers that he passed.

A few feet ahead Wufei could make out some sort of control room. Several uniformed officers walked out the door, leaving the room totally vacant and at his use. Wufei crept inside and shut the door behind him. He made sure to lock it to buy himself some time to hide should the officers come back. He absorbed his new surroundings. Several computers glowed with light, video and security screens showed images from all around the bay as well as inside the control room he was in. There were blueprints that showed mobile suit plans. Wufei studied them carefully. He sat down at one of the computers and began to type furiously. He searched until he found the blueprints on the computer. He made a quick copy of the plans onto a disk that he had brought with him.

The Chinese pilot continued to search quickly through the data base. He needed all the information he could to help the Preventers. He stopped suddenly, his eyes frozen to the screen. Before him was a model of a large space station, much larger than Preventers. It looked like a small moon, orbiting and floating in space. _This base is just a decoy. When the suits are completed here, they must be sent to the main base, _thought Wufei. He snapped out of his thoughts and copied all the information onto the disk. This was worth looking at. He slid the disk into his boot for safe keeping.

Voices caused Wufei to jump. The door was about to open! He quickly slid underneath a desk. Two uniformed officers walked into the control room, talking quietly to each other.

"You heard the orders right?"

"Sure did. I all ready transmitted the information to our men."

"Good. After the Preventers space port is destroyed, nothing will stop us."

Wufei froze. They were planning to destroy the Preventers base. He had to get out of there and find a way to warn Lady Une and the others. Though his agitation was growing, Wufei waited patiently until the officers left again. He quickly crept out of the office and ducked in and out of the bay avoiding the workers. Finally he found a secluded corner in the bay where he could make the call to Lady Une. Wufei was about to activate his wristcom when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He spun around to see a fist heading straight for his face.

Preventers space port…

Duo and Hilde sat silently in the dark mobile suit bay. All was quiet. Everyone else had retired to their bunks hours ago. They were currently hiding inside the cockpit of Deathscythe.

"Duo, look," whispered Hilde as she pointed across the bay. Three dark figures were making their way through the darkness. One of them carried a large box.

Duo nodded to Hilde. Together, they made their way out of Deathscythe and towards the three figures, hiding themselves in the shadows. As they crept closer they could make out their features more clearly. Two men and a woman who had been seen working as mechanics during the day, now were dressed entirely in black and ready to complete a mission. The woman was the one who carried the large box.

Duo and Hilde watched as they set the box down next to a control panel. The two men began to adjust several wires. Realization hit Duo hard,

"Hilde it's a bomb! They're going to blow this whole place into space!" Without warning Duo charged from his hiding spot toward the three characters.

Taken completely by surprise, the woman and one of the men fell onto the ground as Duo tackled them. He stood and faced the other man who had not fallen. The man was about Duo's height and stature, although he was much older. He charged at Duo and the two of them began a vicious onslaught of punches.

"Hilde! You have to disable that bomb!" gasped Duo frantically as he struggled with the man.

"Duo, look out!" cried Hilde as the other man, who had recovered from his fall, came behind Duo and pulled him into a headlock. Duo kicked the first man and then managed to throw the other over his shoulder.

"Get the bomb!" he cried desperately. The two men were stronger than he thought. Trained soldiers, maybe even more. But that didn't matter. He had to buy Hilde time to disable that bomb.

Hilde did as she was told. She knelt down in front of the box ad started to work with the wires. _Thank God for all my training in OZ._ She disengaged what she thought to be the right wire. However the clock on the bomb lit up and glowed brightly with a warning: two minutes. Hilde desperately tried to search for the right wire. A red one caught her eye. She was just about to disable it, when she felt a sharp blow to her ribs.

Hilde gasped and rolled over in pain. She clutched her side and looked up to see the woman, now kneeling in front of the bomb again. Hilde gritted her teeth, rose to her feet, and charged at the woman tackling her to the ground. The woman cried out and struggled with Hilde. But Hilde punched her hard, knocking the woman senseless for a moment.Hilde looked over at Duo who had taken down one man for good, but was still struggling with the other. Her eyes caught site of the bomb clock: one minute left.

Duo took an onslaught of punches from his opponent. This man was not just an ordinary soldier. He was a trained assassin. Duo could tell by the way he fought. He glanced over at Hilde who was struggling with the bomb. He had to help her. With a cry Duo charged into the man, kicking and throwing punches, using all his skills and training. Finally with one final blow the man fell. Duo gasped for air and ran over to meet Hilde.

There were only fifteen seconds left…

"Come on babe," said Duo.

"I'm trying," Hilde cried desperately.

Seven seconds….

Hilde once again found herself staring at the red wire. _This has to be it, this has to be it._

Four…

Hilde closed her eyes and pulled the wire. The clock stopped. Duo let out a long held breath. Hilde opened her eyes. She was still alive. They were still alive. She looked over at Duo who was staring down at her admirably.

"Hilde, you did it," he said quietly as he pulled her to him.

"Wrong," cried a voice from behind them. They spun around to see the woman pointing a gun straight towards them. In her other hand she held a detonator.

Duo instinctively thrust Hilde behind him and held her hand. If they were going to die, they would die together.

"You and everyone on this ship are going to die!" cried the woman insanely. She clenched the trigger tightly. Duo closed his eyes and waited for the bullet to impale his throat.

He heard shots, but felt no pain. He felt nothing. He heard nothing. Cautiously, he opened his eyes. The body of the woman lay on the floor in a pool of blood. Behind her stood Sally Poe and Lucrezia Noin; their weapons smoking from the shots that they had just fired.

"You guys really need to learn to be quieter," Sally said quietly to Duo and Hilde as she and Noin lowered their guns.

AN: Well that is chapter 12. I hope that you enjoyed it. Especially the end. I thought that that was a really fun and exciting part to write. O the suspense! Anyways… please remember to send an email if you wish to see the next chapter. This is the rule! I want to make sure I am interesting some people. Next chapter will be coming up shortly. So stay tuned and keep reading!

WildRose1404earthlink.net


	14. Chapter 13

AN: Chapter 13!!!!!!! OMG! Wow! Anyways… the story is picking up quite nicely I think. I hope that you are in enjoying it so far. The final stages of the conspiracy are coming soon, and it promises for a killer ending! Well I think it will be. But as you know, I am expecting several emails from readers so that I will continue to submit and write.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters.

Enemy base on L1

Wufei stood up groggily; before him, stood a guard about three times his size and weight. The man was pointing a gun to Wufei's head. Wufei rolled his eyes. He really didn't feel the need to put up with this at the moment.

"Injustice," he mumbled to himself.

"You stay right where you are," cried the guard forcefully. "Don't move or I promise you'll never see the light of day again."

Wufei snorted under his breath as the man reached for his communicator. That was all the time Wufei needed. With a swift kick Wufei sent the man's gun flying through the air. The guard fumbled and tried to retaliate, but his heavy size was no match for Wufei's grace and skill. He felled the man with a sharp kick.

Wufei heard others beginning to come. He ran quickly and quietly through the mobile suit bay and towards the winding staircase that he had come in by. Behind him he heard a cry,

"Stop him! Stop that man!"

Shots were fired but Wufei did not dare glance back. He just ran up the winding stairs. The officers were close behind he could hear them. A bullet ricocheted off the wall and glanced his left arm. Despite the burning sensation he felt, he kept moving now approaching the door that he had come in through.

He saw a large red button and pushed it quickly. The door slid open and Wufei dashed out into the warehouse, surrounded by the large wooden crates and boxes. He had to get out of there. He ran blindly, urging all speed through his body. The guards were still behind him. Their gunshots rang through out his ears. To make matters worse, warehouse workers were no starting to cut into the chase.

Wufei passed a cart full of empty boxes. He threw them on the ground behind him. Some of the guards stumbled and fell. Wufei could see the large opening of the warehouse appear ahead. It wouldn't be long before he reached it. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his leg. He cried out in pain but forced himself to keep moving.

"Close that door! Don't let him get of here!" cried a guard.

The large door began to slide down. Wufei ran desperately now, trying to reach safety, trying to get out alive. He had to complete the mission. He was almost there now, but the door was also almost completely closed. With a cry Wufei lunged forward and slid as hard as he could underneath the tiny opening of the door. He slid to safety and collapsed breathing heavily.

Colony L5…

Heero waited patiently while Relena attended yet another meeting. Although the process was slow moving, the tour was doing the job it was intended to do: give more time for reconstruction on the Gundams, which were by now practically complete.

Heero sighed inwardly. Though he did not show the others, he found himself struggling inside to maintain control over his emotions. What would happen to him once this was all over? Would he go back to the life he had lived after the war? It was hardly a life at all. He had had a steady job, but it was not to his satisfaction. He was bored out of his mind most of the time. No, he most certainly did not want that. What was there for a soldier when there was no more war?

A soldier; that is what he had been all his life. He thought that after the war he wouldn't have to fight anymore. He thought he would lead a normal life, or at least try to. But not fighting didn't mean he broke the promise he had made to Relena. That was why he was here in the first place. Protecting her meant he was protecting the peace. He knew that the day would come eventually when war would possibly break out again. That was why he had information on the Gundams. A soldier always had to be prepared.

Heero felt something stir inside of him. He was thinking only of the mission again. Didn't he want to regain his emotions? He knew that he was beginning to. It wasn't that he really cared, he was just unsure of how to handle some of the new emotions. After all, the Perfect Soldier had had none to begin with. That's all he was: a soldier. Well at least one person didn't seem to think so.

Why Relena had always cared for him, was always at the back of Heero's mind. What she had said the other night was certainly unexpected. No one had ever said anything like that to him before. Not even his fellow pilots. Then again, Relena had always been one to surprise him. He never knew what to expect when he was around her. She saw something in him that even he couldn't see.

Heero was interrupted from his thoughts as Relena walked out of her meeting. She looked tired and worn out. Heero nodded to her and took his place at her side, escorting her through the building and outside to a waiting limo that would take them to the airport. They were going to meet Quatre, Zechs, and Trowa then fly to L1 for an important meeting that Relena and Quatre were going to attend.

Relena slumped down into the limo. A sad expression was on her face. She stared straight ahead blankly into space. Heero sat next to her watching her expressions closely. She looked tired and much older than she should. He noticed that her eyes had lost their sparkle and now seemed dull and lifeless. The other night she had been upset, but this was much worse. Heero looked ahead for a moment to make sure she wouldn't notice his gaze lingering on her. She didn't seem to.

Then something unexpected happened. Relena began to cry. She stared straight ahead still and never looked at Heero, but he saw the crystal tears fall onto her face. Although she was silent, the tears still fell and the sight made Heero feel sick. He turned to face her, but she did not even spare him a glance.

"Relena?" he asked quietly.

At the sound of her name, she slowly turned her head to face him and the sight he saw nearly took his breath away. Her eyes were sad, yet beautiful. He long golden hair fell about her face. The tears still streamed forth like a waterfall, yet she remained silent. As she looked into his eyes, he felt himself become lost. But at the same time he felt like he had found something wonderful. He just didn't know what it was.

His hand moved as if it had a will of its own. Gently he brushed away her fallen tears. She almost shrunk back in fear at first, but his touch was surprisingly soothing. She just stared at him, right into his Prussian eyes, and noticed a change in their icy depths. She was about to look deeper when the limo suddenly came to an abrupt halt.

Heero took his hand away from her soft face and sat back away from her. He then turned to open the door. He stepped out and offered his hand to Relena as she slid out of the limo. They had arrived at the airport.

Preventers... Infirmary…

"Chang you're lucky you got out of there alive," Sally said quietly as she changed the bandages on his leg.

"Onna, why do you worry so much?"

"Listen here…"

"Enough you two!" cried Lady Une. "Wufei we are very grateful for the information you have brought back. We are even more grateful that you made it back safely. However, we must now issue a warrant for Representative Clemens's arrest. I wish to keep this as quiet as possible, but I know eventually things will leak out to the public. For now though, we must remain calm and bring him in to Preventers. Noin,"

"Yes Commander?" asked Noin as she stepped forward.

"First I want you to inform Zechs and the others of what is going on. Secondly, I want you to form a team and bring in Clemens to this space station. We will question him here. If we find enough evidence we will press charges against him. Remember to keep things quiet."

"Yes mam."

Meanwhile…

Trowa and Quatre sat together in the private shuttle as they flew to Colony L1. Zechs was sitting by a silent Relena, and Heero had isolated himself alone in the back of the space craft. Quatre frowned as he stared at the pilot of Wing Zero.

"I do wish Heero would converse with us more often."

"He never has been one of many words," replied Trowa quietly.

"Look who's talking," retorted the blonde haired pilot.

Trowa smiled slightly. Quatre had always seen right through him. Since the war had ended they had become the best and closest of friends, even if Trowa didn't talk very often. Most of the time, words were not needed between the two of them. They just understood each other. That was how they got along and communicated.

"Trowa, do you think that this whole thing will end soon? I'm afraid that of it goes on much longer Ms. Relena won't be able to take it."

Trowa nodded in agreement, "Yes, lately she has been wearing herself thin. But I'm not sure whether we are getting closer to solving this conspiracy or further from the answer itself."

"I was thinking the same thing," Quatre grumbled as he slumped down in his seat.

_He cried out in pain as he tried to reach the sound of the voice. Something was pulling him back. It was a strong force that grabbed his arms, back, and legs. Each time he pulled free from it, he ran towards a light that seemed to be calling his name. Each time he reached the light the same force grabbed a hold of him. He jerked and tried to pull free, but this time it was no use. He felt a sharp pain, like knives digging into him. He cried out and fell to his knees…_

Quatre and Trowa looked behind them in surprise. Heero had abruptly come out of a deep sleep crying out and breathing heavily. Quatre stood up and walked back towards the cold pilot while Trowa followed. 

Heero sat breathing heavily while cold beads of sweat drenched his forehead. On his back his swore he could still feel the shreds of pain that had ripped through his body in the nightmare he had just had. He was only vaguely aware of Quatre and Trowa as they stood beside him. Quatre knelt in front of him and asked him gently,

"Heero?"

Heero glared at the blonde haired man coldly before getting up from his seat and making his way from his fellow pilots to the bathroom. He cursed himself for becoming frightened from just a simple dream. He had dealt with his nightmares before. Why was this one so different?

Trowa and Quatre watched as the emotionless pilot locked himself in the bathroom. Quatre let out a long sigh.

"I wish he would at least speak to us Trowa. Maybe we could help him. It's not easy being alone in the world."

"Heero has too much pride to admit his own fears," Trowa stated quietly. "Then again he never had any emotions to deal with."

"Yes Trowa, I think you're right. Now he is becoming more human. I think the cost is more than he can bear. Do you think he will ever let anyone help him?"

Trowa glanced over his shoulder to the slender form of the Vice Foreign Minister as she lay fast asleep upon the shoulder of her equally tired brother. He whispered quietly to himself,

"Only if he follows his emotions."

Enemy main base…

Mavica was certainly not thrilled to be walking through the doors to the large spacious office. He knew what would be in store for him. His leader certainly would not be happy. He would consider himself lucky if he made it back out with his life. The day before his team had failed to destroy the Preventers base. That same day, a spy had been sighted inside of their secret mobile suit base on L1. The spy had to have been one of the Gundam pilots. No other man would have escaped that base alive.

Mavica stood to attention. He had been preparing himself for this all day.

"Bret, my boy, the past couple of days I must say you really have disappointed me. You assured me that your team would succeed in their mission and they failed. Our base on L1 was also infiltrated. I guess your security was not as tight as it should have been."

"Yes sir, but the information the enemy might have gathered from our base will not point to us. Remember our plan to use the decoy? It will take full effect and Preventers will land themselves in a trap."

"Consider yourself lucky that we thought of that or we would be in a heap of trouble right now my boy. Or should I say _your_ life would have been in a heap of trouble."

"Yes sir," replied Mavica sheepishly.

His leader never moved his leather chair around to face his apprentice. His frustration and anger were building up inside of him. Finally he could take it no longer.

"Those pilots are making a fool out of me! And that girl is nothing but a menace! She should have died the day we attacked the ESUN! But I'll make sure she gets hers. As well as those pilots. Even if they complete their Gundams. And you," he said menacingly towards Mavica, "you had better not screw up again. I made you. I was the one who put you n your place. You should be grateful I took you in when I did after the wars. Without me you would still have been a pathetic mercenary soldier with no past and no future! Now get out of this office until I send further word. Soon we will strike. But for now you just keep up your masquerade as "Bret Mavica" ESUN representative."

"Yes sir."

 


	15. Chapter 14

AN: Hey everyone! First time in a long time I have written, but I promise this story will be completed! I all ready have the ideas for the next chapters inside my head and I promise they will be exciting and awesome! All right! Hope you don't have to reread everything to figure out what's happening, but it might help.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters.

Heero, having finally recovered from his terrifying nightmare, stood pacing his hotel room. His head was flooded with thoughts; thoughts of his nightmares, his emotions, and of course Relena.

He took a seat on his bed and placed his head in his hands. Things had gone too far. Everything was so complicated now. Earlier in the car, on the way to the airport, he had touched her, brushing away the sorrowful tears that were streaming down her innocent face. He cursed himself for the distraction. His mind raced, and his head hurt, but most of all, his heart burned with a strange desire that he could not explain.

Heero stood angrily and hit a pillow as hard as he could, ripping it apart and sending feathers flying everywhere. He cried out in frustration and slumped to the floor. Once again he placed his head in his hands. Emotions: they were racing through his body, mind, and heart. It was almost more than he could bear. But he would have to. He had known they would come to him, he just wished that it wouldn't hurt so much.

His thoughts were interrupted by a soft voice,

"Heero?"

His head shot up and he stared at Relena, who was kneeling in front of him.

"I tried knocking but you didn't answer. I wanted to make sure you were all right so I just…"

"I'm fine," Heero said as he stood up and brushed past her slender form.

Relena only stared at him with troubled eyes. Something was wrong with him. When she had opened the door, she stood amazed at the sight of feathers from a pillow and an emotionally distraught Heero sitting on the floor. She stood and walked over to him as he stared out of his room window.

"What do you want Relena?" he asked simply before she could speak another word.

"I… I came to tell you that Lady Une has issued a warrant for Representatives Clemens' arrest. Lucrezia and a team are going to bring him in today for questioning."

Heero nodded his head slightly. He had reasons to suspect the old man, just as anyone else. He prayed silently that they were coming closer to ending this.

Relena slowly reached out and touched Heero's arm lightly. She pulled back as he set an icy Prussian blue gaze towards her. Whatever emotion he had felt earlier when she walked in was now buried once again deep inside of him. Slowly she turned and walked out of the room.

Heero watched her leave and suddenly felt more alone than he ever had in his entire being. He couldn't let others know how he felt. Not even Relena, even though she was one of the reasons for his troubles. God, how he wanted to just tell someone, anyone. Now the feeling was so great he couldn't stand it. But to do so would mean his downfall, and the Perfect Soldier, could not have a weakness such as emotions. He yearned to be human but the cost would be too great.

Lucrezia Noin and her team of Preventers approached Representative Clemens' mansion. She told them to surround the premises, and then with Sally and Wufei by her side, approached the front door as calmly as possible, trying to keep up her unemotional mask, and bury the butterflies that were in the pit of her stomach.

Wufei moved forward to knock the door, and then stepped back behind his commanding officer next to Sally. The door was answered by a butler.

"Good evening sir, I am with the Preventers agency. Might I ask if your employer is at home?" Noin stated.

"He is right here," said a voice from behind the butler, who moved aside to reveal Clemens, himself.

Sally and Wufei moved forward. Wufei circled behind the ESUN member and handcuffed him behind his back.

"What is the meaning of this?" shouted Clemens.

Sally held up a paper in front of his face. It was a warrant for his arrest,

"Sir you have the right to remain silent, anything you say can or will be used against you in a court of law…"

Quatre ran into Relena's room. He was quickly followed by Zechs, Trowa, and Heero.

"What is it?" asked the young woman.

"They've just arrived safely back at the space port with Clemens in custody," answered Quatre. "He will be questioned later this evening."

Enemy Headquarters: somewhere in space….

Bret Mavica paced about furiously. Numerous times he had failed, but this time he would succeed for sure. They had just arrested Representative Clemens, a bold move for the Vice Foreign Minister and her team, but an advantage to him, nonetheless. Now it was his turn, his turn to rise to power and lead the revolt against the ESUN.

"Tomorrow, the real war shall begin," he said as he overlooked the vastness of space. "Tomorrow, I will prove myself to the people, tomorrow all hell shall break loose and that pathetic Miss Darlian will pay for the trouble she has caused. Tomorrow is the day that shall either make or break the future for both the colonies… and Earth."

"Yes, Miss Relena, we have Mr. Clemens in custody right here at the space port. We will begin a questioning session early tomorrow morning," stated Lady Une over the Vid-phone.

Zechs popped his head into Relena's hotel room,

"Relena we have to leave or you shall be late for your meeting. It's nearly eight o'clock."

"I'll be just one moment, Milliardo," replied the young woman as she turned to face the phone screen once more. "Commander Une, I trust your suggestions. Inform me tomorrow about what Clemens has said. I must go to a press conference now. Word of the arrest has spread like a wildfire, although I'm not quite sure how."

"Miss Relena, the press is always involved when it comes to a politician's life; you of all people should know that."

"Yes, I suppose I should," said Relena softly. "Goodbye, Commander."

"Goodbye."

Relena shut off the connection and made her way for the door. Outside in the hallway, Quatre was waiting for her patiently. They walked quietly together through the hotel hallway and to the elevator. Relena's expression was blank, her eyes dull and lifeless. She wasn't sure what she would say at the press conference. She didn't wish to release any information about the arrest at all, but Milliardo had insisted that they say a few comments. She felt like she was trapped in a deep well. There was no hope of escape. She didn't feel strong enough to be Vice Foreign Minister any more. Her mind, body, and especially, her heart just couldn't handle it. Above all she felt weak, lonely and helpless without a friend in the world. How she just wanted it all to end.

"Miss Relena is there something bothering you?" asked Quatre as the elevator.

Relena snapped back from her thoughts,

"Um…no I feel fine; I'm just a little tired that's all."

"You're not a very good liar, Relena."

"Quatre, I'm sorry I just don't feel at ease to talk about anything."

"Relena, whatever it is that is troubling you; you must find a way to stop it. It is affecting every aspect of your personality, and I'm sure I am not the only one to recognize it. Just the other day, Heero mentioned that you were upset about something and then Milliardo told…"

"Heero told you what?" interrupted Relena.

Quatre stopped to study her face. A small spark in her eyes had ignited and for a while he thought he saw some kind of life.

"Relena, what is this about? Is it because of Heero?"

Relena shook her head and looked away. So many things were happening to her, she just couldn't keep track of them anymore. Heero, however, was a large portion of the problem. But she dared not speak of it to anyone, not even sweet Quatre. To do so would probably mean severe consequences and she couldn't deal with that until this was all over.

Quatre questioned her no further. The elevator opened to the main lobby and the two friends made their way outside to the waiting limo.

"Vice Minister Darlian, why should the ESUN, as well as the Preventers, have any cause or reason to suspect a trusted member of the ESUN such a Mr. Clemens?"

"Mr. Clemens has been a member of the ESUN for some time now, but that does not mean he was not somehow involved with the attacks on Earth. For some time we have had a motive to suspect the Representative, but for any other reason, I am not yet permitted to tell you," replied the young woman confidently to the field of reporters and video cameras in front of her.

She had to choose her words carefully. One mishap could mean so many things. The last thing they needed right now was for her to make a silly comment that could cause them problems. She pointed a finger towards the next waving reporter.

"Vice Minister, does this mean that Mr. Clemens is responsible for the attacks on Earth?"

"Not necessarily, but as I said I am not permitted to give you any further information on questions such as this."

She pointed to the next waving reporter.

"If war should break out, will mobile suits rein the skies?"

"Hopefully war will not break out at all, so lets pray that we do not find out the answer to that question," stated Relena with a small smile while a small chuckle was heard throughout the crowd. Once again, Relena pointed to the next reporter.

"What about the Gundam Pilots? If war should break out, whose side will they be on? Where have they been all this time?"

Murmurs of agreement filled the crowd. Relena looked to Heero, Quatre and Trowa who stood to their fullest and most upright attention. Zechs nodded for Relena to answer the question.

"The Gundam pilots, as far as I know, are in neutral territory. They are meant to protect everyone. They are not on any particular side in this matter. No one should be."

Suddenly the reporters began to fire questions left and right. Zechs stepped in front of his sister,

"That is all the Vice Foreign Minister has time for today, thank you for your cooperation."

AN: Welp that's it for Chapter 14! I hope you like it. Pleas email your comments to me in order to post another chapter. Email: WildRose1404earthlink.net


	16. Chapter 15

AN: Chapter 15: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters.

Preventers Space Port…

"Phew, that was a close one. I didn't think Relena would know how to answer that question," exclaimed Duo as he let out a sigh of relief.

Everyone had had their eyes fixated on the television during the press conference. When the question about the Gundam Pilots came up, they all had held their breath, especially Duo and Wufei, though the Chinese pilot chose not to admit it.  Producing hatred for the pilots was the last thing that they all needed. They had already had enough of it during the war. But Relena had brilliantly managed to help maintain their image once again. She had always defended them when others lashed out.

"She really saved you guys this time. Suppose they had asked about the Gundams being rebuilt or something like that?  We would have been in an awful mess," exclaimed Hilde.

"You're telling me babe! I was about to have a heart attack. I even saw the Wu-man there tense up a bit!"

"Injustice Maxwell! I did no such thing! I knew she had the situation under control! What made you think the press wouldn't ask a question like that? Mmmmph!" said the pilot as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Would you two cut it out!" cried Sally. "Commander wishes for us to report to the interrogation room immediately. We are about to begin questioning on Representative Clemens."

Wufei shot daggers over to Duo who simply smiled and pulled Hilde with him out of the room. They followed Sally down the long winding corridor.

Representative Clemens sat in the middle of the interrogation room. The bright light above his head was beginning to make him perspire slightly. Yet he did not fear what was about to come. All would reveal itself in due time. If the Preventers wanted to waste their time with him then so be it. It was their decision and their mistake. He knew, just as well as they, that more people would die and that war would eventually come. There was no stopping it now. They would need a miracle to stop it. They were no closer to solving the conspiracy than they had been to begin with.

Noin began to speak,

"Sir, we at the Preventers believe that for some time you have been withholding certain information that pertains to the recent terrorist attacks on Earth. If you do hold such information you are encouraged to bring it forth at once so that…"

"I know what you are thinking," interrupted the older man. "And all that I can say is that it will not work. You accuse me of being behind all this, I know.  I am a politician, I will recognize every mind game and trick you try to play with me so why don't you just ask me your questions straight out?"

Startled, Noin took a step back from the disgruntled man. This was ridiculous. She looked to Lady Une, who nodded for Noin to continue.

"Do you, or do you not, own several warehouses on the colonies of L1, L2, and L3?"

"Yes, I do."

"And for what purpose are these warehouses used for?"

"What did you think other than storage? It used to be the business I was in before politics. The warehouses belonged to my father, who built them, then slowly began to expand his business once the colonies became more industrialized."

"Sir, there is a particular warehouse on Colony L1, that has come into our minds. Below this warehouse, we discovered a secret enemy base; the same enemy that we believe is attacking the colonies. The base is manufacturing hundreds of mobile suits and distributing them to terrorists groups so that they may attack the earth. Do you have any comments on this, sir?"

"I have no such relations with terrorists, if that is what you are getting at."

"Then why is the base in the basement of _your_ warehouse?"

"Exactly, which one are you speaking of?"

"A warehouse on L1. It was the largest on that you owned. The first one that was built in your father's business."

"That's preposterous! I do not even own that anymore!"

"What?" asked Lady Une in shock.

"I repeat: I do not even own that warehouse anymore. I sold it, about two years ago, to a man who wished to start his own business."

"Do you remember the name of this man?" asked Noin.

"No, not particularly, but I do have the rights and plans back at my estate. I can have them sent over here should you allow it."

"We will send for it right away," said Lady Une as she nodded to one of the guards stationed by the door.

Representative Clemens smirked to himself. He found the whole thing quite amusing. They thought that they had caught the conspirator, but their problems were only just beginning.

"What do you find so amusing?" asked Wufei sternly as he watched the captive man.

Clemens looked up into the eyes of the Shenlong pilot. He then looked at his comrade with the long braid standing next to him.

"So it's true. The Gundam pilots are involved in this."

Wufei and Duo started forward, shocked at the man's outburst. Sally and Hilde held them steady, however, trying to prevent the two pilots from killing the prisoner.

"How do you know?" shouted Duo. "You know who we are, now tell us how you know!"

"I have known, for some time that you pilots would find yourselves in the midst of another war. Do not think I know nothing of warfare. And do not doubt that I am not the only one to know of your friendly relationship with the Vice Foreign Minister. She has many allies. You are merely her closest. She relies heavily on you five. The other three must not be present here. They are probably with her as we speak, protecting her in some way."

"Injustice!" cried Wufei angrily. The Chinese man broke free of Sally's grip and lunged forward. Duo grabbed onto his fellow pilot along with Sally and Hilde as they tried to pull of the enraged pilot. Wufei, however, knocked them away and held a knife to the throat of the ESUN member.

"You know who we are, so now we shall have to kill you."

"Don't be crazy!" cried Duo.

Clemens breathed heavily as he felt the cold blade against his throat. He would have to choose his words carefully in order to survive.

"I know of you, not your true identities. I do not know your names, or where you came from, or you true purpose of being a part of the Preventers! I do not know how well you are linked to Ms. Darlian, but I can assure you this: Should you take my life today, all hell will break lose, and the life of the Vice Foreign Minister, as well as your own, will all be forfeit!"

"Put the knife away, or I will be forced to shoot you," said a stern voice from behind Wufei.

The pilot turned around to face Duo Maxwell, a gun stretched out in his hand, aiming for the fellow pilot. A determined look was in his violet eyes and Wufei decided that it was better not to mess with the God of Death that day. He placed his knife back into its hilt and took a step back from Clemens, who was breathing heavily and perspiring.

Duo placed his gun into the holster and eyed Wufei sternly. Lady Une stepped forward and began to speak to the captive man,

"By not telling us this information, sir, I can file charges against you. It is vital information that we need to prevent a war. You are in enough trouble; do not make it any worse for yourself. Take him away into a holding cell," said the head of the Preventers.

She slowly began to make her way out of the room; she stopped as she approached Duo and Wufei,

"If ever an outburst, such as that, ever disrupts again, I will see to it that both of you are escorted from the premises. I don't care if you are Gundam Pilots are not, you need to abide by the rules."

Duo looked and Wufei who simply nodded his head. Duo spoke, his tone deep and stern,

"There's a funny thing about that Commander, rules have never been an issue for us, and we never follow them. Our job is the mission and nothing else."

The two pilots turned and left the room, leaving their superior silent.

_The sky was red, crimson, tainted with the blood of the dead. The past was haunting him once more. Fog surrounded him. It embodied his lone figure and he held his weapon to his hand tightly, ready to kill anyone who came near him. He felt a breeze sweep by him. A voice was calling out his name, taunting him. He turned to face the voice, but no one was there. Again he heard it. And again he spun around to meet no one. The sky turned darker, the red deepening to the point where it was almost black._

_"The clouds are stained with the blood of those you have killed," said the voice. Heero spun to face his foe but again saw nothing. _

_"Who are you?" he cried._

_"I am who you are."_

_Heero felt something touch his shoulder. He spun around and blindly fired his gun at the figure. It dropped to the ground lifelessly._

_He knelt beside the body and turned it so that he could see his assailant. Relena's angelic face stared back into his eyes, fear and uncertainty written into her sapphire eyes._

"No!" cried the young man as he sat up in bed. Heero grabbed his head in his hands. He could take this no longer. What did the dream mean? Never in his life would he harm her. She meant something to him. What it was, he could not yet quite place, yet he knew for certain that end of her life would somehow bring about his downfall, and the downfall of others.

Heero stood up and paced his room. His mission was to protect her, something that was becoming increasingly difficult by the minute. He needed something to take his mind off of things. He sat down at his laptop and opened the program that Wufei had sent to him. It was the layout of the large space base that the enemy had constructed. Heero stared at the screen impressed at the vastness of the station. It was almost as large as the Earth's moon; there was no doubt about that. How it was constructed was another matter. He began looking through the various amounts of information. He found the layout for the entire station. It was complete with at least six large bays full of mobile suits. Heero sighed. Whoever had built the place had more money than God.

The question now was what the base was really capable of doing. Why build such an immense structure for the purpose of holding mobile suits alone? To a trained assassin like Heero, it just didn't make sense. He began to scan the screen, information flying by his eyes by the minute, until something strange caught his attention. Heero stopped scanning and peered at the screen of his laptop. The picture of a large weapon, almost like a cannon was present. A laser of some sort Heero guessed, although it was unlike anything he had ever seen. Quickly, he punched on the keys of the computer, accessing more detail on the weapon. His eyes grew wide. Before his eyes, was a weapon strong enough to destroy an entire colony with one shot! And that was exactly what it was intended for.

Heero heard a sound from behind him. He was not alone anymore. He dared not move a muscle. He continued to type on his computer pretending not to notice. A slight breeze from the right of him told him that his intruder had come in through the window.  It was a trained assassin no doubt, no one else would have been able to open it and get this far unnoticed. A slight warmth coming form his left told Heero that his unfriendly opponent was about to strike. He heard another sound.

Heero ducked his head as a sharp blade swung past him. He fell out of his chair and stood to face his assailant. It was a large man no doubt, clad entirely in black, his face covered by a mask. A large sword hung at his side. Heero stood naturally; ready to defend himself, his training kicking in high gear. The Perfect Soldier prepared himself for battle. Yet instead of attacking Heero, the man spoke,

"The great Heero Yuy, Gundam Pilot 01. I should have known that you would be protecting her."

"You have no business here," stated Heero coldly, his Prussian eyes flashing dangerously.

"I've come for the girl, Yuy. Don't think you can stop me. I know all about you. All about your training and who you really are. You don't seem so surprised, though, I must say."

"If you made it you business to find out my identity, then that business is your own. I care not whether you know me, because when this conversation is over, you will be dead, and the information you carry will not leave this room."

"Clever boy. I like your spirit. But, Ms. Darlian has some business with me that must be taken care of. Yet in order to get to her, I must kill you, because as I do recall, you have made it your duty to protect her and I know nothing gets past the Perfect Soldier."

Heero's eyes flashed with anger at those words. He would not let them take Relena away. He would die first; his mission was to protect her.

Heero's opponent began to circle him; the blade of the sword was sparkling in the moonlight. Suddenly, the dark man lunged at Heero. Heero ducked aside and grabbed a vase, the first thing that he could get to defend himself. For several moments Heero let his opponent attack him, while he used the vase to block the blows of the sword. Heero studied the man's every move. There was no doubt that he had been trained well. One of the best assassins, next to himself, that Heero had ever seen.

Hero stumbled as the vase broke under the weight of a heavy blow. He threw the remaining pieces at his assailant.

"I thought the great Heero Yuy was the Perfect Soldier. Stand up and fight me like a man!"

"Hn," was all that Heero could say, while he circled the dark man. He would not give in to tantalizing remarks. They did not bother him and besides, it would only show emotion, and emotion could mean his downfall.

Then he made his move, Heero flew into the air, and landed a hard kick on his opponent, knocking the sword out of his hand. He continued his onslaught of kicks and punches, whilst the dark man fired back at an equal amount of ferocity and force...

Relena could not sleep.  For hours she had laid awake listening to the sounds of the night. She tried to look over some documents and paperwork, but it only caused her stress level to rise, as if it could get any higher. Glancing about her hotel room, she realized once more how alone she was.

Relena stood and walked over to the window. She stared up at the moon. It looked so calm and peaceful. She longed to be closer to it. So she walked out onto the small balcony that joined her room. She and the others had been placed on the top floor of the hotel for privacy and security matters. The moon seemed so much closer out here.

For a second Relena looked away and at the ground far below. Her loneliness engulfed her and her mind was filled with dark thoughts. She leaned forward so that she would be even closer. It was inviting, the thought of death. The thought of ending it all so that she would not be so lonely anymore. All her troubles would melt away, and she would leave behind this world of corruption. No more stress, no more loneliness, no more Vice Foreign Minister, just: nothing. She leaned even further over the railing. Her eyes grew blank; her face was one of strange wonder. Would they even notice if she left? Would they really care? Or could they finish the job themselves. Would _he _care if she was gone? _Yes he would, _she thought to herself. _They all would._

Snapping back from her thoughts Relena caught herself and gasped. She fell to the balcony floor, gripping her head in her hands and sobbing. She felt weak, she felt alone. Yet, something inside told her that she wasn't alone and that she would be ok. Hope, however, had long escaped her. If only they could see the real Relena Darlian. Weak and befuddled, confused and abandoned. What would the Peacecrafts think of her? Of her weakness and insecurity? The thought was more than she could bear, and more crystal tears slid down her pale cheeks.

Relena mentally slapped herself. She stood up and straightened herself up. She had to keep telling herself to be strong, it as the only way. Before she went back inside, however, she gazed up, longingly, at the moon once more. Forcing herself to tear her glance away, Relena walked back inside. But not, before catching a glimpse of a dark figure that had just crawled into Heero's room adjacent to hers.

AN: What did you think? I don't mean to make Relena be suicidal, but I do believe that in matters such as these the thought would pass through her head. More action to come and the story will be coming to an end soon, so stay tuned! Also, I am sorry for not submitting in a while but several personal matters kept me from writing. But as I stated earlier, this fic will be completed. So keep giving me your comments, I really like to hear from you and I promise to always write you back! Email: WildRose1404earthlink.net


	17. Chapter 16

AN: Chapter 16, wow I never thought it would get this far, but it has and I am having a blast writing this fic! I really hope that you all enjoy it. Please keep sending me your comments and suggestions. I need to know that you guys are all interested! It's important to me. All right standard disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters.

Relena gasped. Her room was located directly next to Heero's. She ran inside and locked her balcony door. Fearfully she leaned against the wall and tried to listen for any sounds. After hearing none, she relaxed thinking that the body was only a figment of her imagination. But, only seconds later, a small crash was heard, like something was breaking, and Relena could make out the sound of voices. She fled into the hallway, desperate to help Heero, despite the danger and threat it may cause to her own life.

She stopped at his door and listened. There was definitely and intruder. Quatre, Trowa, and Milliardo were all probably fast asleep. There was no time to get help if Heero was in serious trouble. They would all come soon enough. Quickly Relena ran to her room and grabbed a small gun hand-held gun that Milliardo had insisted she always carry with her. She never thought she would use it but this was important.

Racing back to Heero's door, Relena cautiously opened it…

Heero and his opponent were equally matched with each other in hand to hand combat. The dark man had superb strength and was much older than he, thus gaining more experience. Yet, Heero had his youth and was probably just as experienced as the man after all his training and fighting in the war.

Heero received a sharp blow to his head and fell to the ground. He rolled over just in time to avoid being pelted in the stomach. He quickly scanned the room for his gun. It was lying next to his laptop on the table. He had to reach it somehow. His assailant once again tried to kick him. Heero dodged it and flew a right upper cut right into the man's jaw. The dark man fell down trying to regain his senses. Taking the opportunity, Heero rolled on the ground to the table and grabbed his gun. He turned to face the man. But to his surprise the man was gone.

Heero looked around, his senses flying and his soldier mode on full alarm. Suddenly he felt a sharp blow to his back. The gun was knocked out of his hand. Heero turned to face his foe, the sword once more in his hand. Heero simply stared at him unemotionally.

"It seems the Perfect Soldier was just a myth," said the man as he raised the blade.

"Drop it!" cried a voice.

Both men turned to face the voice. Relena stood in the doorway, a small gun upraised in her delicate hand, aiming at the intruder. She was breathing heavily, and Heero could tell that she was doing her best to maintain her composure.

The dark man dropped his weapon to the ground; Heero moved to Relena's side and took the gun from her hands.

"Get out Relena. Go get your brother and the others."

Relena nodded her head and turned to walk out the door, but she didn't have far to go as the other three men rushed into the room. Zechs pushed Relena behind him defensively and stared at the intruder,

"Yuy, what the hell is going on?"

"This man broke into my room, he was looking for Relena," stated Heero, the gun still aimed at the man's heart.

At those words, Relena shrunk back even further behind her brother. Heero could have died because of her. Even though his job was to be her bodyguard, the thought of his life ending at her expense was more than she could bear.

"Barton, escort Relena back to her room and remain with her. Check the balcony and all the windows. Post two Preventers outside the door," said Zechs.

Trowa nodded and took Relena's arm, gently. Fearfully, Relena left the room, but not before she caught one more glance at Heero and the assassin. Even though she could not see his face, something about the dark man seemed strangely familiar. Puzzled, she let Trowa lead her away.

Zechs stared at the man furiously,

"What business is it of yours to harm the Vice Foreign Minister?"

"My business is my own," said the man.

"Do you wish to die tonight?" asked Zechs.

Heero tightened his grip on the trigger at those words. He would have no problems killing this man. But if they could get any information out of him first, it would prove useful.

"Death, inevitably, will come to us all Milliardo Peacecraft. I shall accept it if it comes to me."

Zechs was shocked to hear his real name. No one called him that but Relena and on occasion, Noin. Not many people knew of his true upbringing, not very many people knew that he still existed in the world, he prefer it stay that way.

"Kill him, Yuy!"

"Surprised?" cried the man. "I know who you all are! I know what you are doing with the Gundams! And I know that that pathetic girl will not live to see the beginning of this war. She will die one way or another, I will see to it! And that little thing that you all call peace will be completely lost!"

The man attacked Zechs and tackled him to the ground. Quatre managed to pull him off when he drilled a punch into the man's stomach. The man recovered quickly however, knocked over both Zechs and Quatre. He made his way for the window, but stumbled when a shot was fired. The man grabbed his right arm and looked at Heero Yuy. The Perfect Soldier stared at him with his Prussian eyes, an intense storm brewing inside of them.

"Leave," said Heero.

"Until you and I meet again, Yuy," said the man.

"I will kill you," stated Heero coldly.

The man laughed slightly before slipping away.

Quatre and Zechs were on their feet in a second. Quatre held his side where he had been kicked several times. Zechs was panting heavily. Anger was brewing in his blue eyes,

"You missed him Heero! And to make matters worse you let him get away!"

"Heero did not let him get away," said Trowa as he reentered the room. "The man left on his own free will."

"Why aren't you with Relena?" asked Zechs angrily.

"She is safe."

Quatre spoke up,

"Heero did not miss him either. As long as I have known him, Heero has never missed a shot unintentionally."

"You're trying to tell me that you want this man alive?" screamed Zechs.

Heero remained silent. His eyes still fixed on the window. Zechs stomped out of the room saying he was going to report the incident to Commander Une and the others immediately.

"Heero, why did you let the man go?" asked Quatre quietly.

Heero spoke; his words were deep and dark,

"He knows more information about us that I could have hoped. But by letting him go, I believe he may help us more than if I killed him. I will meet him again one day, and when I do, that will be the day that all of this come to an end."

The soldier stared down at the small handgun that he held. She had helped him again for a reason he did not know. Emotions ran through his heart, the confusion and turmoil building up inside of him.

Trowa cleared his throat and spoke quietly,

"Miss Relena might appreciate if you were to return her gun back to her personally."

"Hn," said Heero as he slowly walked out of the room.

"Trowa, I fear for them both," said Quatre solemnly. "They are both crazy enough to get themselves killed."

Trowa only nodded as he watched his fellow pilot leave the room. He too feared, and he feared that the next few days would be some of the most tedious in their lives.

Relena sat on her bed, nervous and terrified of what had just taken place. She fought with herself to keep the tears inside. She took five deeps breaths and counted to ten. A little better. A knock at the door made her jump. Relena stood, and quickly checked herself in the mirror; she would not let anyone know her fear.

"Come in," she said as she sat back down on the bed.

Heero walked into the room silently, the small gun in his hand. Relena looked at him almost fearfully, afraid that he might scold her for putting herself in danger. Instead, Heero held out the gun to her,

"This belongs to you," he said curtly.

Relena looked at him confused. She then eyed her gun. She hated the very sight of it.

"Keep it Heero. I don't want to even look at it any more."

He nodded and placed the gun on the nightstand for the moment. He had to talk to her. He had to thank her for what she had just done.

"Relena," he said slowly.

She turned to face him and almost blushed. He was clad in his nightclothes, just as her, it was about two in the morning. His bare chest was well-defined with muscles that rippled in the moonlight. His eyes were solemn and unemotional as usual. She found herself lost in their deep, blue depths for a moment.

"Yes Heero?"

"Thank you… for what you did."

"You're… you're… you're welcome," Relena stuttered, shocked at his words.

He studied her closely. Her eyes were full of confusion; peering into his own. Something inside of him told him to stay for while. That she needed someone. She looked so tired and lifeless. Nothing like the young girl he used to know during the Eve wars. She had matured greatly, gaining wisdom, sincerity, skill, and yes even he would admit it, beauty. But not just the physical beauty that saw most men found attractive in her. Heero saw the true beauty that Relena possessed inside of her. The care, compassion, and strength that she lived with and shared with others day in and day out. She shared it with him. He wondered at that moment if anyone else saw that in Relena.

"Heero?"

He snapped from his thoughts. She was staring at him oddly, probably trying to guess what he was thinking, which was always a difficulty when it came to him. No one knew what went on in the mind of Heero Yuy.

"Hn."

"Nothing, never mind."

"If you have something you wish to share…"

"It's just that… "she stumbled over her words. " Do you ever get sick of the fighting and the bitterness and the hatred? Do you ever just want to give up sometimes?"

Heero stared at her blankly. Relena looked away discouraged,

"Heero, I'm sorry. I am just so sick of all this. I don't feel like I have the strength to go on anymore. Why, just before I came into your room, I tried to… never mind. I just don't know if I can do this. I am terrified of what will happen should we fail and terrified of what could happen should we succeed. Heero, most people our age would be in college right now. Do you ever wonder what it would be like if we were just like the rest of them?"

"Relena, if we were like the rest of them, then there would be no peace at all. For some reason, this was chosen for us. We were the ones asked to fulfill this task. It doesn't matter how or why, what matters is that we can and are capable of doing it. You come from a strong bloodline Relena. Look to your ancestors for the strength you need."

"I am a disgrace to the name!" she cried. "Why do you think I have quit using it? I am no where near as strong as they are. I am not capable of bringing about pacifism as my father and mother once did. It does not exist in this world."

Heero took a seat next to her on the bed. He grabbed her shoulders and looked into her eyes,

"Do not diminish yourself. If you do, then you are not as strong as I thought you were. You are strong Relena. The strongest person I know, and if anyone can do this you can."

"The name Peacecraft is nothing more than a symbol…"

"Yes, a symbol of hope and leadership. People will flock to the name because they are in need of a savior. When you choose to use it however, is of your own free will."

Relena shook her head sadly and forced herself to look away from him. It was too much for her. She felt, however, a hand touch her face and force her to look back.

Heero could not bear to see her like this any longer. She needed someone to tell her it would all be all right. She needed to know that she was not alone.

"Relena, no matter what happens; I will be here protecting you. I will help you get through this, even if it means my life." 

"Heero, I can't ask you to do that…"

"This task is of my own free will," he said curtly. "Relena," his tone softening, "your… friendship means a great deal to me. If something were to happen to you, I would… I would,"

"Heero?"

Heero gently took her hand into his own. He peered deeper into her sapphire eyes, which were wide and confused. He felt his own barriers begin to crumble. She was transfixed. He leaned closer to her face; he was lost for words...

AN: That's it for chapter 16! I know you all hate me for cutting you short like that but guess what? I'm the author and I can do what I want :P LOL! I hope you liked it. I hope you don't think that anyone was OOC. Please tell me in an email if so. I am trying to build up everyone's relationships as naturally as possible. Email: WildRose1404earthlink.net


	18. Chapter 17

AN: Chapter 17 Here we go! The best parts of this story are yet to come! Please keep reading and sending me all your comments! Because I have not posted in so long I am making it my goal to finish the story and submit it within the next couple of days. I hope I can do it! Standard disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters.

Heero could feel himself leaning towards Relena as if he had no control over his own actions. Relena did likewise, her sapphire eyes wide and focused on a sea of Prussian blue. But, a knock at the door caused them to break apart. Relena jumped a little, startled to come out of her trance. Heero merely stood up and walked to the door. He opened it to find Quatre, with a tired look on his face.

"Heero, Commander Une wishes to speak to you over the Vid-Phone."

"Hn," said Heero. Without a glance back at Relena, he walked out of the room.

"I'm sorry Miss Relena if I interrupted anything," apologized the blonde pilot.

"Quatre, you're fine. It wasn't important; he was just returning the gun to me, that's all."

"All right, I guess I will be going, we need to get at least a few hours of sleep, we have several meetings in the morning and the following day we have the large conference on L1. You will need to rest up for that. It could determine everything."

"I know, go Quatre, get some rest, I'm tired too."

Quatre turned to leave but stopped,

"Are you sure I didn't…"

"Quatre, everything is fine," reassured Relena.

"All right, good night," he said as he closed the door.

Relena sighed and stood. She peered out her window and looked up at the moon once more. She spoke quietly, her words filled with sadness,

"Nothing important at all."

"Heero, I trust your decision to let the man go, but please do not make any other decisions such as that, before consulting either me, Zechs, or Noin beforehand."

Heero simply nodded his head. He had much more important matters to discuss with the head of the Preventers.

"I have some important matters that must be discussed with you, Commander. Earlier, before the intruder entered my room, I was examining the information about the enemy base that Wufei had brought back."

"What did you find?"

"It holds all the completed mobile suits as we suspected earlier. There are approximately 6 docking bays that carry hundred of them. The size of the station is about the size of a small moon. But there was something much more critical that came to my attention."

"Continue please," said Lady Une listening intently.

"A weapon of mass destruction has been built into this space station. Its purpose is to destroy entire colonies with a single shot."

"Impossible, the enemy is against the earth not the colonies." She paused slightly. "Aren't they?"

"It appears the tables have turned Commander," said Heero coldly.

"I am afraid we are right back to where we started from."

"I have to leave you now. I will transmit all the information I gathered back to Preventers where the others can examine it."

"All right, good bye, Heero."

Heero shut down the Vid-Phone. Now all he had to do was tell the others what he had found. He knew there would be many questions and he wasn't looking forward to answering them. But he felt he was close to solving the mystery, he was just missing one piece of the puzzle now.

Preventers Space Port…

Duo wiped the sweat from his brow. He and his team had finally completed the Gundams. It had been a long and tedious task, but well worth it. He smiled widely and looked over to Rashid. He would never have been able to have completed the task without the help from him and the Manguacs. For that he was eternally grateful. Howard came up and clapped his hand heavily on Duo's shoulder,

"Well man we did it. We rebuilt all five of them in a couple of weeks. That's like a record or something."

Duo sighed,

"Howard, buddy, I couldn't have done it without you. Or you, Rashid. Thank you. I really mean it."

Rashid smiled,

"It has been my pleasure. Not only have I had a good experience, but I have made a good friend. Master Quatre will be pleased to hear the good news, I am sure."

"Everyone will," said Duo happily. He looked around the bay for a familiar girl with short blue hair. "Where's Hilde?"

"I think she said she was just going to do a final check on all the Gundams to make sure everything was in order," said Howard. "There she is right now in Wing Zero," said the man as he pointed to a tiny figure in the cockpit.

Duo looked up at her and smiled. But it soon faded as something flashed in his mind. Something dark and fearful, the fear that always came to Duo when something was about to happen…_Shignami_.

Duo watched as Hilde punched buttons and performed a routine checkup. He tried to grasp the fear inside of him. The dread of the uncertainty that was yet to come. His violet eyes became troubled and he thought long and hard.

"Duo, what's wrong man?" asked Howard as he studied the young man's face.

Duo's mind flashed and he faltered back slightly. _Shignami._ He turned to Howard with fearful eyes,

"Is the zero system activated?"

"I think it is why?"

Before Duo could answer, a scream came from inside the cockpit of the large Gundam. Duo ran.

Hilde had only been performing a routine checkup on all of the Gundams to make sure everything was in order. The Wing Zero was the last one. Unknowingly, she began the same routine she had with all the other suits. She checked all the manual functions, the artillery and weaponry. When she was almost complete, she fired up the mobile suit just as the others, to make sure it was running soundly. She watched as some of the Manguacs flew in and out of the docking bay while test flying the Gundams Shenlong and Heavyarms. It was then that her mind began to grow fuzzy.

As Hilde watched the mobile suits leave the bay, a strange feeling came over her. She watched again, from a large picture window, as the two Gundams made their way into space. A cold sweat was forming on her brow. She breathed more heavily as fear enveloped her body. Suddenly the two suits blew up right before her eyes! She gasped terrified as enemy suits approached the docking bay. They fired several shots. Hilde screamed as she saw several Preventers fall. She saw Duo racing to Deathscythe, but he too was shot down. Hilde's eyes grew wide. Suddenly she saw a large Gundam appear in the window, the one that belonged to the enemy. She saw it raise its buster rifle and fire into the bay. Hilde screamed and lost consciousness.

"Hilde!" screamed Duo and he tore into the cockpit of the Wing Zero. He saw her body lying limp in the chair. Duo shut down the entire mobile suit and picked her up into his arms. He carried her down the ladder and laid her onto the ground while several others crowded around. Duo held her in his arms and spoke softly to her,

"Hilde, come on, please open your eyes. Please, baby, just open your eyes for me."

Sally rushed forth parting the crowd. She knelt down and listened to Hilde's chest as Duo held her.

"She's in a state of shock, somebody get me a stretcher over here!" screamed the doctor.

"Hilde, baby, please, come on, please." Duo said softly.

Sally looked at the pilot with troubled eyes. Those who were inexperienced with the zero system suffered grievously. She had never treated a case before, but as far as she had learned, it could sometimes prove fatal, had the victim been using the system long enough. The effects that it had on the mind were baffling. She often wondered how Heero Yuy had ever learned to master it.

The stretcher finally came and the paramedics placed Hilde's small body on top of it. Duo watched as they took away. He was about to follow, when Wufei grabbed his shoulder and shook his head. Duo sighed. His fellow pilot need not say anything at all. He knew there was nothing he could do for her. He would have to put his faith into Sally. Crushed, Duo watched Hilde's frail form disappear towards the infirmary. He would have to wait and visit her later when he was allowed.

Howard came and touched Duo lightly on the shoulder, but Duo shrugged him off and walked briskly away.

"Duo come on it wasn't your fault!" cried Howard after him. "Why do you feel like you have to go through this alone?"

Wufei sighed softly and looked at the mechanic, "Haven't you learned by now? To be a Gundam pilot, is to be alone." The Chinese man walked a way with a strange look on his face. If Howard would have been able to see more clearly, he would have seen the sadness in Wufei's eyes.

AN: I know it's a little but shorter than what I usually write, but I wanted to make sure I posted a new chapter for my readers. The next couple of chapters will be exciting I promise as my story is finally coming to an end. Please keep sending me your comments or I will discontinue posting new chapters. Thank you for reading my story. Email: WildRose1404earthlink.net


	19. Chapter 18

AN: Here we go, chapter 18 and I am so excited to finish up this story! I can't wait. I promise the end is going to be good. Well in my mind it will be. But anyways we have a little ways to go before we can get there. So I guess I had better hurry up and finish write this story before some of my reader's murder me in my sleep for lollygagging. Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters.

Chapter 18…….

"Lucrezia, please tell me some good news," sighed Zechs over the Vid-phone.

"Well, from the documents that we received from Clemens' estate, I can report that the warehouse he previously owned was bought by a man named Gabriel Pentane. Pentane, as you may know, he was a Senator and member of the ESUN representing Earth and the North American continent. However, he was reportedly killed about two months ago from an attack that opened during an ESUN conference. Relena was there, she knew the man well I should think."

 Zechs nodded his head, "I think I may have heard her speak of him several times. She said he seemed to be very powerful and influential. I understand that he owned a lot of money, so I suppose that would explain how he was able to afford the building. Yet I do not see the reason behind this. Why would a respected member of the ESUN wish to build mobile suits? Another thing that doesn't make sense is the fact that Pentane died during an attack. So someone must have inherited the building after his death because it certainly was not sold again."

"Well, here's the catch, Milliardo: the building was indeed inherited by another after Pentane's death… Bret Mavica. The man who also took over Pentane's position in the ESUN after he died. Apparently, after the war, Pentane took in Mavica sort of as a foster son. Mavica must have wanted more though. He has control of the base so he built mobile suits to attack the earth and put fear into everyone's hearts. He killed Pentane to gain power and now he's after everything else. If it means war and destroying the entire ESUN, I think he would do it. Don't you understand? This is the answer I think we have been looking for."

"Lucrezia there is no proof that Mavica built the mobile suits. Besides what about that large space port floating around God knows where? Is he behind that too?"

"Right now our proof is scarce but give me a few days and I will have it all sorted out. I have all ready reported my discoveries to Commander Une and the others. I suggest you do the same."

"We may not have that much time…"

"Which is precisely why I must be going," said Noin smiling slightly.

Zechs smiled and shut off the communicator.

Preventers….

Duo sat outside the infirmary with Wufei by his side. They were silent, more so than usual, a grim an unfriendly look upon each of their faces. For nearly 3 hours they had been waiting. Duo, because the girl he was sure he was in love with might be dying. Wufei, because he was waiting for the results that were about to come, and whether he would ever admit it or not, but to be there for his fellow pilot.

Finally, Sally emerged from a pair of doors. She looked weary and tired. Dark bags underneath her eyes and her hair slightly out of place from the efforts she had put into her patient in the past few hours. She looked with sad eyes to Wufei and then to Duo. Shaking her head and grabbing her hair in her hands she looked back again. Duo held his breath and prepared himself for the worst.

"Duo... she… she was able to pull through. But right now she is in a coma and I don't know when she will wake up. There is some brain activity though. Hopefully within the next few hours, maybe not for the next couple of days. Whatever happened to her though, while she was on the zero system, hit her extremely hard. She may not be the same again. I've never seen a case like this."

Duo shook his head and pleaded with his eyes the question that had been on his mind.

"Yes, you may go see her. Try talking to her; it might wake her up sooner."

Duo left in a quick steady pace through the doors and down the hall.

Sally wiped a hand over her forehead. She was tired. It had been a brutal day; she was surprised she had been able to make it. Not only did she almost lose a patient, but she almost lost a friend. The thought made her shake all over. Sometimes even she, a trained officer, couldn't handle the pressure. Sometimes it just became too much.

She reached out a hand to brace herself on the wall. A few tears rolled down her cheeks. She looked up to see Wufei staring at her. His gaze was transfixed on her own. She smiled slightly and wiped away her tears. She was about to turn away when she felt his strong grasp catch hold of her wrist. She stared at him.

"Onna, when are you going to learn that sometimes I just don't mind?"

Sally nearly broke down at his words and Wufei pulled her and hugged her tightly. He wasn't afraid right now. He wasn't afraid to let down his emotional guard for someone who needed help. Sally sniffled as she laid her head on his shoulder,

"My name is Sally," she said smiling slightly.

Duo approached Hilde's bed and lightly touched her pale hand. Sighing he pulled up a chair and sat down.

"You know babe, you sure are one hell of a fighter. I guess all that training with OZ did you some good. Please just keep fighting for me babe right now. I need you; I don't know what I would do without you. I don't know what I would do to myself without you. Despite what others may say, Shignami doesn't like to be alone anymore… I'm tired of being alone."

He watched Hilde's silent face as the machines helped her breathe. Once again he had let someone close to him get hurt. He was lucky that she had been able to bounce back from death twice now. He leaned in closer to her and kissed her lightly on the lips. He studied her face and memorized every nook and cranny. Sitting back in his chair, he sighed and just kept holding her hand. He didn't want to let her go ever again.

"Well, Mr. Clemens, you are not exactly off the hook but we are releasing you for now."

The ESUN member grunted as he was lead out of his holding cell. He had to leave as soon as possible he had an important conference the next day with all the ESUN members on Colony L1.

"Thank you Commander Une. I must say I am not exactly pleased with the treatment I have received, but I understand your motives."

"Very well, Representative. I am sorry to have detained you from your current position. Good luck tomorrow at the conference. I hope that something may be achieved."

"Good day, Commander," said the man as he walked down the corridor to his waiting shuttle home. He was tired, more so than usual. He was certainly not looking forward to tomorrow. He had an uneasy feeling inside of him like something was amiss. Tomorrow was not going to be a good day whatever happened. He could feel it. His stomach lurched and his heart was uneasy. What was the world coming to?

Enemy base…

Bret Mavica waltzed out of the large office smiling to himself maliciously. Now was his time. He walked through winding corridors until he reached some sliding doors. They opened, and he entered a large control room filled with officers running to and fro, working on computers and filing data, preparing for what they had been waiting for for several years now. An officer stopped from running around long enough to salute to Mavica. Mavica did likewise awaiting the man's report.

"Sir, we are ready to commence Operation Inferno. We just need the final word to start. Everything else is in place and ready to go."

"How is the Gundam Gehenna?" asked Mavica. "Is it ready for battle? Have you activated the zero system yet?"

"Sir, the Gundam is ready, but as for the zero system… Well, our mechanics and scientist never really fully understood the system. The man who created it, I believe his name was Dr. J, was a sheer genius. No one has ever seen anything quite like it and…"

"I did not ask for your opinion about it! I asked if it was installed and ready to go. I will need it tomorrow if we are to go into battle."

The officer looked down and stuttered slightly. He wasn't quite sure how to give this intimidating man a fair warning,

"Sir, all I am saying is that the tests that have been run with the zero system are disturbing. Some of the men who have tried it were in recovery for days one of them weeks. The effects it has on the mind are phenomenal. My point is that you, sir, have yet to be tested with the system. Without doing so, I as well as some others, are afraid to even let you fly Gehenna while it is activated."

"I am not like other men!" snapped Mavica. "I will use the zero system, and I will use it successfully. I am the most successful pilot and most accomplished soldier that this organization has ever seen! I will master the system!" Mavica turned sharply on his heel and walked away angrily.

"Yes sir," muttered the officer under his breath, "but will the system master you?"

Mavica did not hear these words. If he had the young officer would have been dead by now. Mavica looked to another soldier and asked him a quick question,

"Has our base on L1 been destroyed as ordered?"

"Yes, sir, that operation is currently underway."

"Have all the mobile suits been relocated here then?"

"Yes sir. The last of the completed suits have arrived and have been loaded into a docking bay as we speak."

"Very well then, carry on."

Mavica brushed past the soldier and sat down at an empty computer. He began to type furiously, his anxiety and excitement over coming him. Finally the image of a young woman appeared on the screen. Mavica narrowed his eyes.

"I will be seeing you soon… Relena."

AN: That's it! I know this chapter was a little shorter, but come on you know you liked it! The suspense is killing you I'm sure. LOL I'm sorry. This story is almost complete and I must say that the best is yet to come. Keep reading and reviewing! Email: WildRose1404earthlink.net


	20. Chapter 19

AN: Chapter 19, all right! This is going to be full of action and suspense. I hope that you enjoy as this story is beginning to finally wrap up! Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters.

"Relena, please we must be going or you shall be late for the most important meeting of your life!"

"I'll be there in one moment, Milliardo!" shouted the young woman as she stared at herself in the mirror for one final time. She was tired, nervous, and anxious. This meeting with the ESUN might either make or break her. Either way, it would take its toll on her mind and body. Breathing deeply and making sure that she looked presentable and professional; Relena left the mirror of the vanity in her hotel room and walked into the hallway where Zechs, Heero, Quatre and Trowa all awaited her.

They had arranged on an escort plan to and from daily activities. Zechs and Quatre walked ahead of everyone, Zechs pretending to escort Mr. Quatre Winner, a representative of Colony L4. In truth, both were protecting the Foreign Minister should someone try to attack from ahead. Trowa took his place next to Relena and always made sure to gently grab hold of her arm while escorting her outside and in throngs of people. Two other Preventers always walked along side of him and Relena. Finally, Heero made of the rear of the moving party. His eyes scanned all about them, looking for any enemy who would dare try to harm the young woman he had vowed to protect. His dangerous eyes darted here and there like a hawk swooping down for its prey. At times like these Heero Yuy became unemotional, unreadable, destructive, and lethal: the Perfect Soldier.

As they left the hotel reporters reeled outside by the awaiting limo, screaming for Relena to answer their questions. All the Vice Foreign Minister could do at that time was politely excusing herself as she was late to the conference.

During the limo ride, all were silent. Relena looked at the window the entire way, wringing her hands in a handkerchief. She was nervous. Trowa and Quatre watched as the young woman tried to maintain her composure. Quatre looked to Trowa with troubled eyes. Trowa simply nodded his head in reassurance that all would be well. The blonde haired pilot did his best to relax. Zechs also stared out the window for the majority of the ride. His mind was on many things, he couldn't quite pick one to focus on. His wiped the sweat that was beginning to form on his brow. Heero just sat there, he eyes focused on Relena who did not seem to notice his fixating gaze and that point.

As they pulled up to the large building where the meeting was to be held, Relena gasped as she saw hundreds of reporters and people lined up for her arrival. It was insane. People shouting and flashing their cameras at the limo, screaming questions at the young woman before she could even step outside the car door.

A thump on the trunk of the car caused Relena to jump. The occupants of the car looked to see a man trying to break the bulletproof glass of the rear window to get into the car. Heero grabbed Relena and pulled her next to Quatre and Trowa. He watched the man carefully, and Zechs made a call on his wrist COM. Immediately, some Preventers pulled the pursuer off the car, while some others cleared a path for Relena to walk through to the building.

Zechs and Quatre stepped out of the car first. Trowa then followed and turned to offer his hand to Relena,

"Breath Relena, here we go, just take my hand," said the usually silent pilot.

Relena nodded and accepted his hand and stepped out of the limo, followed quickly by Heero.

Camera, flashes were blinding everyone as they made their way to the building. The shouts of the reporters as well as protestors were inevitable, as they filled everyone's ears. Heero shot a few deadly glances towards several reporters who dared come too close to the Vice Foreign Minister. They cowered back at the cold Prussian blue stare.

Finally they reached the main entrance of the building. Relena was escorted unharmed into a large auditorium, where the first part of the conference was to take place. She, and several other ESUN members, had to give speeches regarding the crisis at large. Then, the political parties would be moved to a large meeting room to try and discuss methods for peace with little debate as possible.

Heero and Trowa stood with Relena onstage as Zechs took his place, with several other Preventers, in the wings of the stage, on balconies, and at entrances and exits to the auditorium. Quatre took a seat in the audience, towards the front, just like many other ESUN delegates, and colonial representatives. Quatre scanned the crowd, looking for unfriendly faces. His gaze suddenly rested on Bret Mavica, the suspected ESUN member from Earth was seated in the front row. Along side of him was Representative Clemens, the two men looked as if they were in conversation with each other.

 Quatre looked up on stage and caught Trowa's eyes. His motioned with his head to look towards the front. As the silent pilot did so, he too saw what Quatre had seen. He nudged Heero gently to look also. Heero nodded and motioned for Trowa to step off stage into the wing to inform Zechs. Trowa walked away quietly.

"Heero is something wrong?" asked Relena nervously from her seat.

"No, Relena, everything is fine, focus on what you are here for. We will take care of everything else."

Relena nodded her head. She glanced offstage to the right wing to see her brother and Trowa conversing quickly. Zechs nodded his head and Trowa moved away back on stage to stand behind Relena once more. She watched as Zechs slowly peeked his head out to look in the audience. She followed his gaze to a man with dark raven hair. She felt her heart skip a beat as she saw Bret Mavica staring up at her darkly. Heero noticed her uneasiness and did the first thing he could think of to get her mind off of things.

"Relena, it's time for your speech."

Relena jumped slightly but then nodded her head and took a deep breath, trying to maintain her focus. She put on her political mask and approached the podium. She lightly touched the dove pin that had been given to her as a way to keep track of her whereabouts. It was now one of her many security blankets. The people looked to her as the Dove of Peace. The pin, although it had been a burden of annoyance at first, now reminded her of how important she was to the people. It gave her some sort of strength.

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen…" began the young Vice Foreign Minister.

Preventers…

Lady Une, Sally, Noin, Wufei and Duo all watched Relena speak on a large television in a lounge. They were silent. Duo sat by himself in the corner of the room. Hilde had not yet awaken and his mind was elsewhere. Still he tried to focus and listen to what Relena had to say. He had to get his mind off of things.

Suddenly, Howard and Rashid burst into the room, out of breath, panting like dogs.

"The warehouse on L1 has just been destroyed by mobile suits!" cried Howard "There is a whole army flying towards the Earth. There's nothing we can do! We are trying to get them onto the communicator to try to negotiate with them."

The others needed nothing else to be said. They ran out of the room in a hurry.

Wufei and Duo reached the docking bay. They quickly changed into their fly suits and jumped into the Gundams Shenlong and Deathscythe. Duo looked about as he saw both Preventers and Manguacs preparing for battle.

"Let's go!" cried Duo darkly as he powered up his Gundam.

"Maxwell, be smart," said Wufei over the communicator. "Don't let your anger control you."

"I've got everything under control."

"Chang, Maxwell, be careful out there," said Lady Une on the communicator. "I've sent Noin and some of the Manguacs out to help you. I want you to focus on that group of suits that are heading for Earth; we must stop them at any cost. They've done enough damage to the innocent."

"No problem," said Duo through gritted teeth. "Shignami is back!"

The band of mobile suits approached the enemy. The war was about to begin. Noin gave out orders in her Taurus having her team surround the enemy and fall into formation. She and her team would do the best they could to defeat the enemy. But in her heart she knew that the Gundams would destroy anything that lay in their path. The army they were up against was no match for two of them.

Duo and Wufei gripped the controls of their mobile suits. They were adjusting to the familiar feeling they always had when they sat in the cockpit. Even though it had been a long time, memories swept through their bodies as all their training began to kick in. To be a Gundam pilot meant that you never forgot what you had learned. You had to remember to survive. Both of them smiled to themselves as they felt their fighting skills return to them. 

"Here we go!"

The battle began. The mobile suits fired at one another as the Preventers attempted to protect the Earth. Duo and Wufei jumped into the fray, the massive Gundams overpowering anything that stood in there way. Duo swiped through three suits with his scythe. He felt good. He loved the power and the control he felt inside his Gundam. He watched as Wufei overtook one of his opponents. Duo felt a surge of energy burst through him.

"WOOOOOOHOOOOO!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. "Shignami is back and everyone knows you don't mess when death comes calling!"

"Maxwell, be careful!" cried Wufei as he took out an enemy suit heading straight for his fellow pilot.

"Chill Wu-man. This is kid's stuff."

"Maxwell I swear…"

Noin jumped in on the communicator, "Heads up you two. We have about thirty more enemy suits closing in on us from behind. We get through them we complete the mission."

"Mission accepted," said Duo mocking Heero's deep voice.

"Maxwell…" warned Wufei.

"Jesus, chill out! Let me have a little fun and get the hell off my back!"

"Killing yourself won't make things better, it won't help her any."

Duo's eyes grew dark and cold. "Leave Hilde out of this. This has nothing to do with her. What do you care about my life anyway? Besides we have a mission to complete."

"Then complete the mission and save the games for later," replied Wufei sharply.

Duo didn't reply as his anger began to rise within him. What did they know? Did they understand what he was going through? He would rather die fighting than die being lonely for the rest of his life. After all she may not even wake up right. Duo shook his head. No, Sally had said that she would wake up it just may take some time. But for Hilde to never be the same person ever again was something he couldn't bare and he had brought it upon her. If he had only been watching her more closely…

Duo fired now at his enemies blindly. Several times he almost hit some of his fellow Preventers. Noin warned him through the communicator to control himself but he no longer cared. A Gundam pilot took orders from no one other than themselves or another Gundam pilot. That was how it was.

Finally Wufei, cut down the last enemy suit. He sighed in content at the feel of battle. It was a feeling that was an addiction and he often found himself yearning for it from time to time.

Suddenly Noin voice came on the communicator, "We've got a problem! Commander Une just reported a fleet of mobile suits heading straight for colony L1. They are going to attack! L1 is where Relena and the others are!"

"Why are they heading towards the colonies? They are supposed to be attacking Earth!" cried Duo. They would never make it in time. The location of the Preventers was a fair distance form the colonies and the enemy had had a jump start.  

"We've must go!" cried Wufei and he maneuvered Shenlong towards the direction of L1. The small band of mobile suits filed out in hurry, led by the massive Gundams.

ESUN Committee Meeting…

Heero and Relena both felt uneasiness as they sat through the committee meeting. Heero peered about the conference room, searching for some kind of a threat. He could tell Relena was uncomfortable; she was shifting in her seat from time to time, nervously, secretly praying that all would work out in the end. Heero glanced over at Bret Mavica, who had been keeping his gaze on Relena for the past couple of hours. The thought made Heero feel something in the pit of his stomach. He shrugged aside any further thinking however, when a small debate erupted between two ESUN members.

Relena called for order and calm was restored once more. It had been a long nerve-racking day. She was tired but she dare not show it to anyone. The only one who could probably tell anyways was Heero. They had spent so much time together in the past few weeks it was hard not to pick up on one another's personal preferences and feelings. Relena mentally kicked herself and tried to keep her focus on the situation at hand. This was no time to be thinking about Heero Yuy, even though he was standing right behind her, guarding her, and keeping her safe.

"Everyone knows that the colonies have wanted independence from the beginning!" cried one delegate.

"Yes and everyone also knows that the Earth is ignorant and wants nothing but power!" cried another.

The argument continued on and on and Relena tried helplessly to control each angry ESUN official. So far things were getting no where. Relena's mind began to wonder once more about failure and what it would mean. She had nothing left to fight with.

"Please remain calm! We are getting no where with senseless arguing!" cried Quatre. "I believe the Vice Foreign Minister has a few words."

All eyes focused onto the young woman. Relena stood to address the committee once more,

"Ladies and gentlemen, I know that no one in this room is really in favor of war. Those who are should not even think to consider themselves ESUN delegates. Our job is not to start a war but to stop it before it can begin. Have we all forgotten about that? Have we all forgotten who we really are? If we have then we are all nothing but power-hungry ignorant people. Peace is what we have come here to discuss. I understand that emotions are running high and that there has been a lot of hurt spread within the past few months. But please, I am asking you all, we must try to achieve peace before the innocent suffer and die, and the world we all know, cease to exist."

Eyes of the officials looked shamefully upon the table. She spoke the truth, she always had. Relena was never known for ever telling a lie. Quatre smiled to himself inwardly. He knew that all she had needed was a chance to speak up. Now perhaps they would get somewhere.

"What of this so called peace?" cried a deep voice. "Your peace, Minister Darlian, has been a failure from the beginning! The colonies will never corporate at this point!"

Relena looked sharply at Senator Mavica. She turned her head sharply as Quatre jumped from his chair.

"Hold your tongue, Senator. If it wasn't for the Vice Foreign Minister, the peace we have known for several years would not have existed at all!"

"Go ahead Mr. Winner and stand up for her! From what I hear you two have become awfully close in the past few weeks. Its clear to see why she may favor the colonies over Earth!" shouted Mavica.

Quatre fumed with anger and Trowa placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

"Go ahead Mr. Winner. We shall see what the Vice Minister really feels…"

"Stop it, this is childish!" cried Relena. "My friendship with Mr. Winner is no concern of yours nor does it affect the relationship I have with the Earth or the colonies." Murmurs rose throughout the room.

"Forgive me Miss Darlian," said Mavica as he bowed slightly. "I did not mean to insinuate about you and Mr. Winner." The raven haired man stared at Heero suddenly. "I suppose you are even closer with your bodyguard with all the time you spend together."

Heero placed himself in front of Relena immediately. There was no need for this man to pry into Relena's personal life in front of all these people. He glared at Mavica furiously with his Prussian blue eyes. He felt Relena tense up behind him as she grabbed his shirt gently.

Heero could feel the stares of the people in the room upon them. For the most part everyone was silent except for the occasional whisper. Heero saw Trowa leave the room out of the corner of his eye. He spoke slowly to the man before him, his voice barely above a whisper,

"Your behavior here is juvenile and unacceptable," stated Heero coldly. "I must ask you to leave peacefully. You will be escorted from the room if you wish to keep this up."

Again, Heero saw Trowa reenter the room with Zechs and two Preventers. They began to approach them.

Bret Mavica glanced over his shoulder at Zechs and the Preventers. He smiled grimly and shook his head.

"I know who you are Heero Yuy, and I will do as you say."

Heero felt Relena grip him even tighter at those words but he remained impassive.

"Who are you?"

"They are coming Heero Yuy. They are coming sooner than you think."

Heero stared at the man. He began to feel a small tremor on the ground. Slowly he could tell it was growing stronger and stronger. Heero took his eyes off of Mavica and backed away. He looked about the room. The others were beginning to feel the vibrations as they grew stronger and closer. Heero grabbed Relena's hand and pulled her across the room to stand next to Trowa, Quatre, and Zechs.

"Yuy..." began Zechs.

"Move…now!" cried Heero. The small band ran towards the door just as an explosion was heard. The people in the committee room panicked and began to run about in terror. Heero took a final glance behind him to see Bret Mavica standing calmly in the crowd, watching them move like a hawk.

Heero pulled out his gun. They were in the hallway now and they looked, for the first time, out of the windows to the world outside of the building. People in the streets were running and screaming in terror and large mobile suits paraded through the streets. Heero nudged Trowa and Quatre as a group of a hundred or so men, dressed in uniforms, began to enter the building which they were in. They were armed and ready for battle.

Relena clung to her brother as he called for backup. Several Preventers came immediately to their side. One reported that others had posted themselves through out the building. Relena watched in terror as the mobile suits opened fire on the colony.

She said nothing, she was too scared to move or speak. She just watched quietly as she held Milliardo's hand, while he and Heero tried to discuss a safe way to exit the building.

"We've got to get Relena out of here. Nothing else matters but her safety right now," said Milliardo.

"We must think quickly, those soldiers are entering the building," cried Quatre as he watched them file in.

"I saw an exit inside of the auditorium we were in earlier. If one of us could get Relena there we might have a chance," said Trowa quietly.

Heero thought for a moment.

"Zechs, you and your team of Preventers stay here with Quatre and cover for Trowa, Relena, and I while we make our way to the auditorium. It's just down the hallway. Trowa leave now so that you may exit and find us a car. Wait for us until we all arrive safely. If you have waited for longer than ten minutes and everyone is not accounted for… I want you to leave."

Trowa nodded his head slowly in understanding. He then took off down the hallway his gun in hand. He disappeared to the left as he made his way down another hallway to the auditorium.

"All right move!" cried Zechs to his team.  They all ran in front of Heero and Relena and positioned themselves in various places ahead of the auditorium doors. Heero waited as Relena said goodbye to Milliardo.

"Go with Heero now. He will get you out of here."

"I know Milliardo, take care of yourself; I don't know what I would do without you."

Doors ahead of them that had been barricaded by the Preventers earlier, which allowed access to the hallways they were in, began to bang loudly. Relena turned her head sharply at the noise.

"They're coming!" cried Quatre. He grabbed a gun and hid himself behind a pillar. Zechs pushed Relena towards Heero,

"Go! Yuy get her out of here!"

Relena looked at her brother longingly not knowing whether or not she would ever see him alive again. She glanced quickly at Quatre and caught his eye. She then felt herself being pulled by Heero down the other hallway. Just as they left, they could hear the shots ringing out behind them.

AN: That's it the best is yet to come. Hope you are enjoying this all! Email WildRose1404earthlink.net


	21. Chapter 20

AN: Action! Action! Action! This chapter is packed full of it! I know you will all love it. Please send me your comments I am going to try to finish up the story here shortly. Always send me reviews I LOVE TO READ THEM! I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters. But I'm beginning to wish that I did.

Heero and Relena ran down the hallway as fast as their legs could carry them. Heero held a gun in hold hand and Relena's hand in the other as he pulled her through the hallway towards the auditorium. He prayed silently that Trowa had made it unharmed and had managed to get a car for them. Heero stopped abruptly though. He pulled Relena in a doorway and peeked around the corner. It was just as he thought. More enemy soldiers were beginning to come into the building. Ahead he had seen a door handle turn. He immediately had pulled Relena out of harm's way. They would soon be trapped and he had to think quickly before getting them both killed….

Meanwhile…

Quatre and Zechs were under heavy fire. The few Preventers that had been with them were falling left and right. Zechs and Quatre managed to pick off as many enemies as they could. But they were both beginning to run low on ammo. More enemy troops were beginning to file in too. Now there were only two other Preventers left who had not fallen.

"We can't keep this up for much longer!" screamed Quatre. We'll have to make a run for it!"

"Right, but we have tog give Heero more time to get Relena out of here!" answered Zechs. He was beginning to lose hope of leaving the place alive. Suddenly an idea sprang into his head. "Winner! Look out the window. How many flights up are we right now?"

Quatre crawled over to a window while the others kept firing and peered out cautiously. "About two stories. This building isn't that high. Right now the enemy is veering to the left of us outside."

Zechs sighed, "Good; that means that if we jump we might have a chance."

Quatre suddenly realized the concept of the plan. He nodded his head. They could make the jump easily without hurting themselves. It would not be that difficult. Just trying to regroup with the others would be. And managing to stay alive after the fall would also be a challenge considering there would be enemy fire from above them. Once they hit the ground they would have to clear out quickly.

"Winner, all of us will go at the count of three! Once we hit the ground, run like hell! It's the only way! One… two… three!" screamed Zechs as he grabbed the other two Preventers and pushed them out the window.

Quatre set his arms out in front of his face and broke the glass as he fell forward.  He hit the ground quickly and rolled. He picked himself up and ran to catch up with Zechs and the others. Gunfire was all around them. One of the Preventers cried out and fell as a bullet took him down.

"Leave him!" cried Zechs. They continued to run occasionally returning fire.

"We go towards the back of the building, where the auditorium exit should be!" screamed Zechs.

Meanwhile…..

Heero spun his head sharply. He could hear voices coming from the other end of the hallway as well. They must have gotten past Zechs and Quatre. Heero looked around for a means of escape. He looked up to see the air system vent. He braced his legs on the wall and climbed up. He pushed up the cover and pulled himself through. He then reached down and grabbed Relena's small body, pulling her up as well. He quickly replaced the cover.

Heero held Relena close to him and covered her mouth to muffle her heavy breathing. Underneath of them, soldiers passed by in both directions. Relena tensed up and held tight onto Heero. They waited for a few moments longer, until both groups had passed. Heero released Relena and began to crawl forward through the ventilation system. He motioned for the young woman to follow him cautiously behind. Each time they passed a new cover Heero would peak down to see if it was the auditorium. At one point the reached a fork and Heero steered them to the left. Relena breathed heavily and tried to keep herself calm. She had never been fond of tiny spaces and this was most uncomfortable, not to mention that assassins were chasing them too. 

Heero stopped once more and peered through a cover. He crawled over it and pulled it out. They had reached their destination. Relena crawled over to Heero.

"Relena everything is clear. Take my hand and I am going to drop you as gently as possible to the ground. The auditorium ceiling is higher so be careful when you land. I'll be right behind you."

Relena nodded her head and let Heero guide her body down through the small opening. She held onto hi hands and nodded that she was ready. Heero released her and Relena fell to the floor. She landed roughly but safely. Heero dropped down immediately afterwards and helped Relena to her feet. They were at the back of the large auditorium. The exit they wanted was backstage. A noise behind them caused them to jump. They turned in horror to see a small group of soldiers running in through the doors.

"Run Relena!" cried Heero as he drew his gun and began to fire.

Relena heeded his words and fled towards the stage as the soldiers filed in one by one. Several of them slipped past Heero and made their way towards her. Relena ran onto the stage and began to knock over anything that would keep them away from reaching her. Backstage she overturned furniture and saw the door that would mark their freedom. Someone touched Relena's shoulder and she jumped at the sound of a gunshot. The man beside her fell and she turned to see Heero.

"Heero look out!" cried Relena as several jumped onto his back and tried to over take him. He fell to the ground and wrestled with three large men.

"Relena go now while you still have the chance!" he cried in between breaths.

In despair Relena ran towards the EXIT sign. She had almost reached in when she was abruptly grabbed from behind and tackled to the ground. A man twice her size had taken her down and was trying to take her away. She struggled with him and kicked and struck out at him with all her might. She managed to free herself temporarily only to be seized again by the man. She kicked him and then grabbed a chair beside her and hit him with all her might. The man cried out and struck her sharply across the head. Relena fell to the ground and cried out in pain.

Hearing Relena scream, Heero redoubled his efforts and threw off the men that had tackled him. He drew his gun and fired three deadly shots. He wasted no time and raced to the man attacking Relena. Heero landed a heavy blow on the man's head and pushed him away from the frightened girl. Heero knelt on the ground inspecting her momentarily and held her to him. He looked to see several more soldiers coming towards them.

Kneeling with Relena, Heero held out his gun in one hand and held Relena in the other. Her arms were wrapped about him in fear as she held onto him for dear life. Heero fired and fired, felling his opponents' right and left, but they just kept coming and coming. He would not let them take her while he was alive.

Suddenly, light poured out from behind him and Heero turned to see Trowa, gun upraised and firing, directly at the enemy. The last of their opponents fell and Heero picked up Relena and carried her out to a waiting car while Trowa ran quickly behind them. They all piled into the front seat: Trowa driving, Relena in the middle, and Heero in the passenger side.

Get us out of here!" ordered Heero. Trowa wasted no time. He slammed down on the accelerator and fled away from the building.

"I know you said no longer than ten minutes, but I couldn't leave knowing I could have tried and waited just a little longer," said Trowa quietly as he drove away.

"You're a good man," answered Heero.

Suddenly Trowa slammed on the brakes. His passengers lurched forward as they came to a complete stop. They looked up and before them were Zechs and Quatre dragging in between them an injured Preventer. The small group quickened their pace when they saw the occupants of the car. The three men climbed in and Trowa took off down the street. 

"Put some pressure on his leg, Quatre," said Zechs as they held the injured man between them. Quatre did as he was told. Zechs applied pressure with his hands to a wound on the man's chest. Relena had turned around and held the injured man's hand.

"Breath with me," said Relena soothingly as the young Preventer struggled for air. "Just hold onto me and keep breathing. Look right at me, don't look away."

Heero watched with a feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. It was clear to see that the man was mortally wounded; all they could do was try. But Relena was there, fighting with him until the very end. He admired her for that: the spirit she had. Strong and able, loving and caring, and never willing to give up no matter what the cost.

Relena squeezed the young man's hand tighter as he began to slow down his breathing. It was becoming too slow now. She knew at this point all she could do was be there. She watched, with tears forming in her eyes, as the Preventer slipped away from the world. Relena sighed and closed her eyes, struggling to fight back the tears. Quatre and Zechs shook their heads and muttered in disbelief. Trowa and Heero remained silent.

"Why does war always come to this?" asked Relena to no one in particular. But no one could answer her question.

For a few more moments all was quite until Heero broke the silence,

"Zechs, try to get a hold of Une. We need to arrange a flight out of here once these mobile suits have cleared out."

"I tried earlier but my communicator is broken. All I am getting is static. We are on our own but I sure they are on their way as soon as possible."

"They should have been here by now though," said Quatre with a puzzled expression. "I can't imagine what might have taken them this long."

"The enemy must have set up a decoy to keep the Preventers away from the colony," said Trowa. "It is the only logical explanation. They knew we had rebuilt the Gundams, so they must have set up a trap to lure us away."

"I think you're right," answered Heero. "But right now we are on our own; and the main objective is to find a place to hide so that we are all safe."

Trowa nodded his head and turned the wheel to the left. As soon as he did though, he had made a grave mistake. Before them was band of at least fifty foot soldiers who all looked right into the car the small group of companions were in. Trowa floored it, and steered through the crowd in a hurry, wasting no time so that they may make an escape. Shots were fired at the car immediately and Trowa swerved on both sides of the road, avoiding obstacles and trying to make the enemies target much more difficult to hit.

Heero grabbed Relena and put her head down so that a stray bullet would not hit her. He then rolled down his window and loaded a new clip into his gun. Climbing half way out the window, Heero fired and took down six soldiers. Zechs did likewise, and took down three others. The two men climbed back into the car. Quatre glanced behind them.

"They will send the mobile suits in a moment," he said gravely.

True to his word, two large mobile suits began to pursue the tiny car. Trowa did his best to maneuver out of their way but it was no use.

"They aren't firing at us or we'd all be dead by now!" cried Quatre. "They must want to keep us alive!"

"They want to keep Relena alive," answered Heero coldly. 

Relena froze at his words. It was because of her, everything was because of her. They valued her life yet took other lives to make sure she stayed unharmed. They didn't care as long as they got her in the end. A great sorrow hit her like a bullet. She didn't want this, she didn't need this, and she couldn't do this anymore. She couldn't live knowing that others were dying for her, protecting her. It was too much for her to bear. She was a failure; her whole purpose in life didn't mean anything anymore. She had nothing left to live for. 

As these thoughts flew through her mind, Relena was only vaguely aware of what else was happening. The mobile suits had cut them off and Trowa was doing his best now to keep the car moving. Suddenly, a large electrical pole in front of the car fell and crashed before them. Trowa tried to swerve out of the way but it was too late. Heero grabbed Relena and brace her with his own body as they crashed into the pole.

Heero looked around slightly dazed. Relena was safe in his arms, only slightly bruised and shaken. In the back Zechs and Quatre began to climb out of the car. Only Trowa seemed to have suffered with a large cut on his forehead from hitting the steering wheel. But he nodded to Heero that he was fine and removed himself from the car as the others had done. Heero pulled Relena out, grabbed her hand, and ran with the others, as fast as they could, to the shelter of the large buildings of L1. More foot soldiers were heading towards them now. They were running out of time and they were trapped.

Zechs led them all into an apartment building that was now abandoned because of the attack. Behind the building was a large lake that overlooked a park. With Heero and Trowa, Zechs moved furniture in front of the entrance way to maintain a final stand against the soldiers. Quatre led Relena upstairs to the top floor, ten stories up. The others joined them shortly.

Relena sat on a couch and fell into her own thoughts as the others discussed a means of defending themselves.

"We're extremely low on ammo. I've no round left whatsoever and you only have a few. We won't last five minutes!" exclaimed Zechs helplessly.

Below them, they could hear the soldiers trying to break through the entrance. Quatre looked out of the window and down below,

"They're almost in."

Heero tried desperately to think. No matter what happened he would keep Relena alive. He would die if he had to. He was not about to leave her side now. Even when there was no hope left.

"We will not go down with out a fight," said Heero coldly.

"Damn it Yuy! Open your eyes!" cried Zechs angrily. "We have nothing left! We are going to die here!"

Relena snapped from her own thoughts and stared at her brother. She stood and looked at all of them, but they didn't seem to notice her at all.

"Then," said Trowa sadly, "I think we all know what we must do."

Heero read Trowa's mind and instantly became enraged. He knew what Trowa was thinking, he had thought the same thing, and it was the only way for them to stay alive, all of them. But he couldn't bear leaving her, he couldn't do it. Angrily, Heero punched the wall with his fist as hard as he could. He drew in a deep breath and tried to hide the emotion he had just shown, but it was too late. He turned around and looked at the young woman,

"Relena listen to me…" he began.

"Yes," she interrupted, "go Heero. All of you get the hell away from here."

"Relena!" cried Zechs but Heero stopped him.

"Relena, if we leave, there is a chance we may survive. There will be no fight, and they will take you away unharmed. But if we stay, we will fight and there is a good chance that we will not make it out of here alive."

"I understand Heero," said Relena sadly.

"They're beginning to come into the building!" cried Quatre.

Trowa took a vase and broke through a large picture window that overlooked the lake. He looked down at the drop. They would fall ten stories into the water below and try their best to get out of there.

"Relena…" began Zechs.

"Milliardo, listen to me, whether you believe it or not, you are a Peacecraft. You must survive if I should not. You must carry on the name that brings hope to so many others. Promise me this Milliardo; promise me you will do this, not just for me, but for our own father and mother who fought so hard for pacifism and peace. Peacecraft is not just a name Milliardo; it is a symbol of hope. Use it and the people will follow you."

Zechs nodded his head sadly and embraced Relena before turning away to join Trowa and Quatre at the window. Trowa nodded to Heero who nodded back. Trowa then gracefully leapt downward to the waiting water. Quatre looked at Zechs and almost smiled,

"Two windows in one day. Are you up for it?"

"At the count of three," replied Zechs before the two of them jumped down.

Heero now stood with Relena alone. He could hear the soldiers coming up the stairs now.

"Heero go!" cried Relena.

"Listen to me first. You stay alive no matter what happens Relena. Do what they say and stay alive! I will find you, no matter how far and how long it takes… I will find you."

Relena nodded her head slowly at his words. Tears streamed down her pale cheeks. She loved him she was sure of it. She just doubted that she would ever see him again. But his words gave her hope.

"Relena," he continued, "Don't be afraid of who you really are. You have a strong name, use it. Don't lose hope…"

The door pounded as soldiers tried to break in. Relena looked around in horror and screamed at him,

"Go Heero! Go now! I promise to do as you say! Go!"

Heero wasted no time and just as the door opened, he jumped through the broken window and fell, for what felt like and eternity, into the lake below him. He hit the water hard, and the force took the breath of him slightly, but he swam back up to the surface and gasped for air. He remained motionless for some time and looked above him. He saw Relena's golden hair moving about in the breeze. He then saw the soldiers come and take her away.

"Heero!" cried Quatre from the bank of the lake. Heero swam to meet his companions. Relena was alive, but in the hands of the enemy. All of them stared as a massive mobile suit, a Gundam, took off and flew into the depths of outer space. It was the Gundam Gehenna. Relena was on board; Heero felt her presence leave as the massive mobile suit did.

Trowa pointed towards the buildings. The other mobile suits and soldiers were still bent on destroying the entire colony.  Helplessly, the small company watched and nearly gave up when all of a sudden, a familiar sight came to their eyes.

The giant scythe of Deathscythe swept through three mobile suits. Shenlong terrorized the foot soldiers and fired into their ranks.  A Taurus landed inside of the park and a slender pilot emerged from the cockpit and greeted them,

"Need a lift?" asked Lucrezia Noin.

AN: Chapter 20 all and accounted for! Email me tell me what you think! Email: WildRose1404earthlink.net


	22. Chapter 21

AN: Chapter 21. Did you guys like the last one? Because from all the feedback I was getting it sure did sound like it. I am so excited that you all love the story. All right, things are going to get good from now on. Please R&R as always. I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters.

Relena stood looking downward to the lake below. She let out a deep sigh of relief as she saw him emerge from the blue water. She could see his blue eyes penetrating her own. She only removed her gaze from his own when a large noise from the door interrupted her thoughts. She spun around and was immediately grabbed b y two enemy soldiers roughly.

All though fear gripped her heart, Relena forced herself to remain calm. If her life were to end right now, she wouldn't give them the satisfaction of knowing that she was terrified. She would accept her fate with grace and dignity, as he mother and father had before her.

A tall dark figure stepped through the doorway. Relena straightened her posture and stood tall as she recognized him: Bret Mavica. He approached her, a gun in his hand, aimed directly at her head. Relena simply stared right into his eyes, telling herself to show no signs of fear; that she would not be beaten down.  

"Give me one good reason I shouldn't kill you right now, Relena Darlian," snarled Mavica as he cocked the trigger.

Relena stood taller and peered deeply into his black eyes. She thought carefully about her words before she spoke,

"Because murdering me, in cold blood, would mean that you organization would fail to be able to control the colonies and earth. They would see your cruelty, and you can not afford that."

Mavica gripped the gun tighter. He began to pull the trigger slowly, a crazed expression crossing his face. But, suddenly he let go and lowered the gun.

"You are too wise for your own good, Ms. Darlian. Take her away!" he ordered.

Relena was blindfolded and carried out of the building. The next thing she knew she was being strapped into a seat. She was cramped up, it had to be a mobile suit of some kind. She heard Bret Mavica's voice and he entered the mobile suit. He strapped himself in front of her, in what she guessed was the pilot's seat. A panicked voice came over the intercom system,

"Sir, there's a fleet of mobile suits approaching the colony at a very high speed!"

"Well hurry up and destroy everything you can! Cover for me as I leave!"

"Yes sir," said the soldier.

Relena almost whimpered as she heard explosions right after the other, coming from outside. How she wanted to be anywhere but there. She felt the seat shake her violently as the mobile suit she was in was fired up. As they were about to take off, the voice came over the intercom again,

"Sir we have enemy suits approaching us…"

"Cover for me, as I leave," ordered Mavica sharply.

"Yes sir but it's a Gundam! I repeat it's a Gun…" the man was cut off by static.

Mavica fired up the engines and fled from the colony, Relena with him.

Meanwhile…

Heero and the others had finally arrived back at the Preventers station. They told Commander Une of the unfortunate news regarding Relena. The head of the Preventers thought quickly as she tried to devise a plan before the public began to despair.

"We must find a way to get Relena back. She is the only one who can keep the world from complete chaos."

"She is not the only one," said a deep monotone voice.

All looked in Heero's direction. The dark pilot emerged from the corner he had been standing in. He slowly approached the direction of Zechs and stood before him.

"There is still one Peacecraft left. One who will lead the people out of dark times, if he chooses to accept his fate, or run like a coward."

"Watch yourself Yuy," snarled Zechs.

"You sacrifice your own sister to a cause in which you have always fought for yourself!" cried Heero, "If that is not a coward I do not know what one is!"

Zechs fist landed a blow on Heero's right cheek. But the Perfect soldier just stood there like it had not even phased him. He was beyond physical pain right now. Angrily Zechs lunged at the young man, but the others held him back.

Heero moved away unoppressed by the emotional outburst. He began to speak again anger evident in his voice,

"You would sell her for the sake of the Peacecraft cuase, for the cause of peace yet you are too afraid to take up that cause yourself! Even now, when she has been taken and could be dead for all we know. You will not do it for the world, for her, or for yourself!"

"Damn you Yuy!" screamed Zechs as he tried to break free from the others.

"Heero please!" cried Noin desperately.

But Heero did not falter with his words. He approached Zechs and came face to face with him,

"Will you not do it for yourself, Milliardo Peacecraft?"

Zechs face fell at those words. He looked away. He knew Heero Yuy spoke the truth. Heero, seeing that he had gotten through to the man walked away and continued his small speech,

"The people flock to the name of Peacecraft like it is the coming of the second Christ. They need something that will give them hope, a symbol that will hold them together, whether they are colonist or of earth. The name Peacecraft will be their savior, Relena once understood that, though now she fears of the power and responsibility it shall bring to her. She fears that power, but mostly she fears the failure and defeat that might come out of it. That is why she chooses the name Darlian, and from my guess, that is why you choose the name Zechs Merquise. You fear the good that could come out of this name as well as the bad because of your past. But the people need you, Relena needs you… even I need you at this point. We need a Peacecraft to survive."

Everyone was shocked at the dramatic speech. Heero often kept to himself. This was powerful and his words stung the hearts of all around him.

Zechs was released slowly from everyone. He looked directly into the cold blue eyes of Heero Yuy. He peered closely, but through the layers of ice and pain, Zechs understood and saw the truth: Heero was a human, he feared what was to come and he was doing his best to prevent it. Underneath it all Heero was a man of truth, wisdom, experience, and emotion, even if he failed to show it.

"Lucrezia, gather a team of Preventers and call a press conference. Tell them that Milliardo Peacecraft wishes to address the colonies and the Earth."

Lucrezia Noin smiled as a single tear rolled down her cheek. The others breathed a sigh of relief and did so as well.

Zechs looked around at his companions,

"Well what are we waiting for? We have work to do!"

"Yes sir!" cried Duo excitedly.

"Right!" cried Lady Une. "Wufei and Quatre, prepare every able pilot in this space station. We have a war to fight.  Duo and Trowa, go to Howard and make sure that everything is in order with the Gundams. Sally, prepare the infirmary for any injuries or casualties we may have! Noin shall remain with Milliardo. The Magnuacs will do as Quatre tells them. Heero… you have a Vice Foreign Minister to rescue."

Heero nodded and walked out of the room to the docking bay.

Enemy base…

Relena felt the mobile suit land. Moments later she was roughly grabbed by more soldiers. They brought her out of the mobile suit and set her on the ground. The blindfold was taken from her eyes.

Relena gasped. She was in some sort of space port or base. It was a huge docking bay, filled to the brim with mobile suits. Spinning around, Relena caught her breath as she peered at a gigantic Gundam.

"That, Ms. Darlian, is the Gundam Gehenna. But it is the least of your worries. Come with me," ordered Mavica as he led her away with a group of soldiers.

Relena looked around as she walked and absorbed all of her surroundings. The base was titanic is size. It was one of the largest most magnificent space stations she had ever been in, she had to admit it. _This organization must have had a strong sponsor behind them. No one could ever afford all of this_ thought Relena to herself.

She tried to memorize the way which she was going, but it was all like one giant maze. They took so many twists and turns she was beginning to grow dizzy. Finally, they began to slow down as they reached a long corridor with large metals doors at the end.

Bret Mavica approached a secretary seated at a desk in front of the doors. He spoke briefly to her before she nodded her head and pressed a red button on a panel located on her desk. The large doors slid open and Relena was lead in with only Mavica by her side. They were now in a large spacious office surrounded by huge windows that overlooked outer space. Relena could even recognize some of the colony clusters from where they were. But her gaze was not focused on the beauty of space. It was rather fixed on a figure in a large office chair who had his back to her.

"So glad that you could join us, Ms. Darlian," said the man quietly.

Relena grew puzzled. That voice, it seemed so familiar. Almost like a memory that was at the back of her mind, not yet forgotten. She watched as the chair spin around. Relena looked at the man and caught her breath. It couldn't be, there was no possible way. Relena began to back away from him in fear shaking her head in disbelief. But Mavica caught her arms and held her tight.

"I see you have not forgotten me. Why Ms. Darlian, you look as if you have seen a ghost?" sneered the man.

Relena found her voice,

"Perhaps I have, Senator Pentane."

AN: OOOO the horror! LOL! Are you guys surprised? Or did you have an idea? LOL let me know. I'm sorry this chapter was short but it had to be or else other things wouldn't have tied in as well. The story is wrapping up! Please enjoy! Email: WildRose1404earthlink.net


	23. Chapter 22

AN: Here's chapter 22! I hope you enjoy it! Did u like the last one? I thought I had a pretty good surprise in their. Please keep sending feedback. I know that some of you are really enjoying my story and I hope u keep reading it. Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters.

"Surprised, Ms. Darlian?" asked Senator Pentane as he approached the fearful young woman.

"But how? I mean… you… you died in my arms," stuttered Relena helplessly.

"Ms. Darlian, the entire thing was staged, one big act to eliminate some obstacles that were in my way." He turned around and walked towards the large bay window.

"You were behind all of it? You were the one who funded this organization and launched the attacks? I do not understand why a respected member of the ESUN would want to do such a thing. And against the Earth, from whence you came, none the less!" cried Relena. She felt Mavica hold her arms tighter as her anger grew.

Pentane turned and stared at her. His eyes penetrated her own. Relena grew fearful. Something was stirring inside of her, something deep and dark. She did not know what to do. She did not know what would happen next. She doubted she would even live to see another day.

"Ms. Darlian, did you honestly think that I would intentionally attack my home planet to harm others on purpose? Yes, people from earth were killed in the attacks, but their lives were not of any great significance, such as your own."

"But they were members of the ESUN and innocent civilians who…"

"Who were needed to cover up my master plan," interrupted the man. Relena grew silent and listened closely. "I attacked the Earth so that the colonies would be blamed. Tensions were so high it wouldn't have mattered either way. I staged my own death so that I would not be suspected in the investigation of the attacks itself. Bret, here, has been with me since the war. I taught him everything he knows about politics, people, fighting, and piloting mobile suits.

I have always hated the colonies, Ms. Darlian. They have been nothing but a menace since the days they came into existence. Always begging and pleading and wanting more. Never satisfied that anything was ever enough for them. They wanted more rights, more freedom. So we give it to them and they still feel as if the Earth has too much control. If they want independence they have to fight for it. Well let them," he paused for a moment then continued.

"I was sorely disappointed with the outcome of the Eve Wars. I was sure that the colonies would be annihilated, but to my avail, and to the avail of many of my followers, they were not. So I decided to take matters into my own hands. I began to build mobile suits and grow and army of men and women who believed in my cause.  My numbers grew more and more as tensions began to rise again in the years following the war. The people of Earth wanted the colonies gone and the colonies want their independence. I will make them both happy."

Preventers….

"All right," said Lady Une. "Hurry I want everyone to gather around so that we might discuss this plan."

Hundred of Preventers were gathered in the docking bay for an important meeting discussing the mission. All were present: the Gundam pilots, the Magnuacs, Zechs, Noin, Sally, Howard, and anyone else affiliated with the Preventers. All eyes were on their leader. They all knew the extent of this mission, this battle. It would determine the future of both the colonies and Earth.

The Gundam pilots listened closely. They were dressed in their flights suits, ready to fight for the survival of peace and humanity. Each of their minds was on one thing or another. Heero watched with keen eyes as Lady Une slipped a disk into a large panel, the one that he had taken from the intruder who had attacked Relena then killed himself. That was only a few weeks ago, but two weeks could seem like two years. A large hologram appeared before him as data from the disk began to unfold. It was a large weapon; an atomic, gun-like machine that could destroy nearly an entire colony, or a large portion of the Earth.

"This is information that was obtained by the Preventers only a few weeks ago," began Lady Une.  "It is a weapon, built by the enemy, its purpose is unknown. After researching, we have found it to be capable of mass destruction. If this weapon were to be used it would mean that the lives of millions would become forfeit."

She pressed a button and another image popped up. This time it was mobile suits, and one particularly large Gundam.

"These are the mobile suits that have been furnished. Their capabilities are like that of any other mobile suit, with the exception of planetary defenses installed on all of them. But with the help of this information, we have found a way to disable their system. As for the Gundam, known as Gehenna, we know very little. It is powerful and will prove to be more challenging than anything we will face. Its primary weapon, as far as we know, is large beam cannon. The other thing we have realized, from studying previous encounters with it, is the way the pilot controls the mobile suit. The pilot's skills are beyond what they should be. They match those of our own Gundam pilots you see before you. Yet, Howard, here, has been lead to believe that the zero system has been installed inside this Gundam."

Heero looked up sharply. He was the only other person he knew who had been able to master the zero system. Even after years of peace, he could still remember the mind boggling effects it had on his head. It had taken him time to conquer it. Now he used it almost as a companion, his aid against the enemy. It took a strong willed pilot to do so. Even the other Gundam pilots, such as Quatre, could not handle it.

"Now," continued Lady Une, "here is how we beat their system, as well as their entire organization."

Once again she switched images. This time, the entire enemy base appeared. It was titanic in size, almost as big as a colony.

"This is the enemy base.  It is occupied by thousands of enemy troupes, as well as mobile suits. Our mission here today is to destroy it entirely. We also believe that the Vice Foreign Minister, Relena Darlian, is being held captive here. The Gundam pilots will lead the Preventers fleet, of mobile suits, in battle against the enemy's fleet. One person, whom I have chosen will infiltrate the base and destroy it in its entirety. This is how that task shall be accomplished:

In the center of the base, there is a large circular room. The only thing in this room is a large energy pillar, approximately 30 feet high and 15 feet wide. It is located in the center of the room. However, it is more difficult to get to than one may think. Surrounding this pillar is a pit, its drop is unknown. In order to get to the pillar, our man must activate a bridge that crosses to it. There is a code that does this. After that, our man must plant a bomb and leave the base as quickly as possible. The bomb will destroy the pillar and knock out the rest of the base entirely, destroying it as well. The explosion will be magnanimous. That is why I advise all pilots to remain as far away from the base as possible. The battle will begin as soon as we are able to figure out the coordinates of the enemy."

Quatre spoke up,

"Commander Une if I may say so, those shouldn't be difficult to locate at all. If I recall, we gave the Vice Foreign Minister a tracking device in the form of a dove pin, should a situation like this ever happen. If you give me a few moments, not only could we find where the base is located, but we could pinpoint the exact location of Minister Darlian as well."

"Yuy is this true?" asked Lady Une for confirmation.

"Yes Commander. We issued it to her only a few weeks ago. She has been using it ever since."

"Quatre, Trowa, hurry and set yourselves up. Find her location. Everyone else prepare for battle immediately. Hurry go!"

Preventers and mechanics alike scurried every where around the docking bay preparing to fight.

"Heero Yuy, I would like a word with you," said Une quietly as she pulled Heero aside.

He stared at her, knowing the task he was about to be ordered. She knew she didn't need to say anything to him. She knew he was the only one for the job. She knew all of this, but she still felt the need to make it official,

"You know very well that I have chosen you to infiltrate the base Heero. You know you are the only one who can do it and still have a chance of getting Relena out of there alive. We're all counting on you. Here," she said as she handed him a large plastic briefcase, "this is the bomb. Once you plant it you will have seven minutes to disperse. While you are escaping, several smaller explosions will detonate prior to the final blast. Please be careful. And Heero… bring her back alive. You know very well we can not go on without her."

"Mission…accepted."

Meanwhile….

As soon as he had been dismissed from the meeting, Duo had scampered quietly down to the infirmary, to look at Hilde, possibly for the last time in his life. He wanted to promise her that he would come out alive, but he didn't want to make promises he had not control of keeping. He wanted to survive though, to see her eyes and smile again. Each night he prayed that she would wake up, show some kind of brain activity, letting him know that she was still there and still fighting for him and for herself.

He walked into the room and watched as Hilde's frail form lie silently. The sound of the machines she had been hooked up to beeped steadily along. Sally had warned Duo that her condition had become worse. For days there had been no brain activity. This worried him and caused him to fall deeper into the hole he was digging for himself. He couldn't pretend none of this bothered him. For so long he had tried to hide things like that, but he knew that this was different. The others were beginning to see his anxiety build. He was at the point where he just didn't care anymore what they thought. He couldn't live with out her, he wouldn't live at all.

He knelt down next her and held her hand. She was so cold and limp. He brought his other hand to rest upon her forehead and bowed his head in prayer. He prayed to Father Maxwell to send his plead to the God he was so unsure of now. Brushing back her wavy blue hair away from her eyes, Duo stared at her serene, peaceful face. Despite the tubes hooked up to her helping her breathe, she looked comfortable and content to remain the way she was, like she hadn't slept for days and was making up for lost time.

"Hilde, baby, please don't leave me alone," said Duo quietly. "I don't think I could take it. No, I know I wouldn't be able to take it. You are the only thing I have left to live for. You are all I want. Without you, I feel so lost and so incomplete, like there's part of me missing. I hate feeling this way. I hate feeling like I am falling and there's no one to catch me. Hilde, please, baby, I don't want to be alone anymore. Please, won't you come back to me? If you can't I will find a way to come to you." Tears slid down his cheeks silently. He didn't even bother to wipe them away. He couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"Ahem, excuse me, Duo," said a voice quietly from behind him.

Duo turned around and stared at Sally Poe, who was standing at the doorway. She had a sad expression on her face.

"It's time for you to go, they have the location. They are waiting for you," she responded.

"Okay," said Duo. He stood up and bent down and gently kissed Hilde's forehead before he left the room, wiping his tear stained cheeks along the way.

Sally stared after him, tear coming down her own cheeks. She had heard everything he had just said to Hilde. Sally felt heartbroken for him and torn in two. If Hilde didn't show any signs of brain activity tomorrow, they would have no choice but to pull the plug. From what Sally could tell, the outcome did not look good. She watched Duo's retreating form then stared at Hilde lying on the bed. She silently prayed for a miracle.

AN: Hey how do u like it? I hope it was good. I almost cried when I was writing Duo's part with Hilde. I am such a sap and I don't like to be emotional over my own writing. I was like for God's sake snap out of it! LOL. What will happen next though? Keep reading to find out!

Email: WildRose1404earthlink.net


	24. Chapter 23

AN: Chapter 23. This part is full of action, suspense, emption, and excitement. Ok I think I might be getting a little too into this whole commenting thing. But oh well! Enjoy and tell me what you all think.

Quatre was making final preparations on the Gundam Sandrock. He made minor adjustments and made sure his cockpit was as comfortable as possible. He smiled sadly as memories from the past came back to him. Racing through his head were images of previous battles, his father's death, his sisters, the other Gundam pilots. He couldn't focus and he couldn't quite grasp the concept that they were going into battle once again. He was worried for although he would always be a soldier and warrior; he was not ready for a mission such as this. He hadn't been in training for a while and he feared he would not make it through the first fray.

Quatre adjusted his flight suit around his neck. They were getting ready to head out. He knew the Gundam team would need his strategic skills to make it through the battle. He prayed that his memory and thoughts would all come back to him in time.

He looked around the docking bay. Trowa was in a sitting position, poised in deep thought. Duo was adjusting his flight suit and mumbling curses about death. Quatre's heart ached for him. Without Hilde, Duo would destroy himself. Trying to push heavy thoughts aside, Quatre glanced over at Wufei who appeared to be doing some kind of meditation. Quatre smiled slightly and shook his head. Wufei was serious as always. At last Quatre glanced over to Heero. The Perfect Soldier was looking out of the giant bay window in the docking bay that overlooked the beauty of space. For a moment the blonde pilot wondered what was going through Heero's mind. He wondered if it was the mission, the battle, or Relena. Quatre knew that Heero cared for the girl; he was just too cold to show it. But from time to time, Quatre occasionally saw moments in Heero's eyes when he looked at the young woman. Moments when his soul would open up to the world and let everyone know that he was human after all. They were rare moments, but they did happen.

A hand came down on Quatre's shoulder. The blonde pilot turned around and met face to face with Rashid. He smiled warmly at his friend and companion. He was commanding the Magnuacs in battle. Rashid had helped him through so many times. Quatre knew the man could sense the fear inside of him. Rashid spoke quietly,

"Master Quatre, you know no fear. Confidence will be your only weapon out there on the battle field. With out it, you are nothing at all, even in a Gundam."

"I know my friend, but it feels like it has been so long. What if I should fail the others?" responded Quatre.

"When you are inside of that cockpit, inside that machine, you are home; though you may not want to admit it. But it is your fate to be a warrior and to fight in this machine. You and these other young men were chosen. You were chosen for this reason and for this purpose."

"To what?" cried Quatre. "To kill anyone who stands in our way?"

"To defend those who need your protection. To fight for an ultimate goal which we all strive for: Peace. This peace will not come if you do not kill those who object to it. Do not be so unsure of yourself, Master Quatre," finished Rashid.

Quatre looked away from Rashid's face briefly then up at his large Gundam. He hated his fate. He hated the burden that he would have to carry on his shoulders for the rest of his life. But it was his alone to bear. Yet, despite how much he hated the killing, Quatre knew that Rashid spoke the truth. It was his duty and his honor to protect the innocent. I was his destiny to control the Gundam Sandrock. He had to admit that the thrill of controlling such a machine was beyond compare. He had power, he had skill, and he had strength. Yes, the fate was his to bear. No one could handle Sandrock the way he did.

Enemy base...

Relena watched as Pentane circled her. She tried to hide the emotion that was burning inside of her heart. She wanted desperately to run and try to get away, but she knew that would only give them an excuse to kill her. She had to be patient and do as they said. She made a promise to stay alive, and in return she was promised that she would see him again. She had to be patient.

"Why have you not killed me Mr. Pentane?" asked Relena simply.

"I need you Ms. Darlian. You are the last thing that I need to complete my mission. With you, things will not be complicated they will be so much easier. You shall not become a martyr to the people of the Earth and colonies. That would only make them turn against me and make my organization look like bloodthirsty and power hungry savages."

"Are you afraid of the truth?" retorted Relena.

"I fear nothing!" screamed Pentane. Relena stood her ground despite the sudden outburst. She did not move a muscle.

Pentane surged forward at the young woman, "The truth?" he exclaimed furiously, "The truth is that the colonies have been nothing but a menace since they were created! You speak of peace and good will between Earth and the colonies. Well that may come sooner than you may think."

He turned away from her and motioned for Mavica to follow with Relena out of the office and into the hall. Pentane led them through several hallways and control centers until they finally reached their destination. It was a large control room, where numerous officers and other sorts of people were working. However, Relena could not seem to tear her eyes away from the largest thing in the room. Before her, inside a large docking bay below the control center, was a, large, beam cannon. She watched as it was wheeled into position by a team of mechanics.

"This, Ms. Darlian, is a device of special design," explained Pentane as he pointed to the weapon. "Scientists have been developing and building it for me, secretly, for several years now. As a matter of fact, I believe you may even know the man who designed it. His name is Dr. J. The very same man that helped develop the Gundams, as well as your body guard, Heero Yuy."

Relena couldn't help but gasp slightly. But Pentane continued to taunt her,

"Don't act so surprised Relena. I have been watching you for a very long time and have gotten to know your friends very well. I was indeed surprised that you were acquainted with the great Heero Yuy. But of his existence, I knew about him from the beginning. As a matter of fact, although he may not know it, I was going to buy him from Dr. J and use him as my own personal assassin. But the foolish Old Man would have nothing of it. It was not a loss though. I found that I did not need the boy at all once I discovered the plans for Dr. J's machine. So I took them because I knew he would not so willingly give me such thoughts and ideas. The man was too smart for his own good."

Pentane stopped to breathe then slowly continued,

"The fact is that this machine was the answer I was looking for. It will solve the many problems that exist in the universe today. Shall I demonstrate?"

"I think I can get the general idea," said Relena meekly.

"No, Ms. Darlian, I want you to get the full concept. Approximately, 2 hours ago, my team tracked a large asteroid that was heading towards our ship. It, like all asteroids, was probably debris from another planet or what not. You know how space goes, Ms. Darlian. This particular piece of rock is roughly two miles long."

Pentane motioned for Mavica to escort her to a large bay window. Relena looked and saw the rock of which he was speaking of. It was phenomenal just as Pentane had described. And it was heading right for them. Relena felt a knot rise in her stomach as an idea slowly crossed her mind.

"Take a good look, Ms. Darlian," said Pentane as he motioned for the weapon to be fired.

The next thing she saw was a bright and brilliant flash of red light that hit the asteroid head on. The whole station shook slightly and Relena almost lost her footing. She looked back out of the window and all that was left were small pieces of debris floating quietly in space. A sad expression crossed her young features as her thoughts were revealed to be true.

"You plan to destroy the colonies," she said sadly.

"I always knew you were a bright young woman. I suppose you'd have to be to be named Queen of the World at the tender age of fifteen. Or to become the Vice Foreign Minister and an Ambassador to both the Earth and colonies."

"What is it that you want of me?" she asked quietly.

"I was hoping you would ask me that," smiled Pentane wickedly. "As I said before you will not become the people's martyr. You will work for me for a limited amount of time or you can say goodbye to your precious friends aboard the Preventers space port. We know their location and we know that they would not be ready for an attack that would completely wipe them out in a mere 30 seconds. Their blood will be on your hands Ms. Darlian. They have no idea where you are. No help is coming for you. You are all alone. So who will it be? Your friends who mean the world to you and who may be the only ones to stop this war. Or the innocent people of the colonies, completely oblivious to what may happen to their pathetic lives within the next couple of hours. The choice is yours Ms. Darlian. Bret, my boy, escort her to the broadcast room over there."

Pentane turned on his heel and walked away. Mavica grabbed Relena roughly and walked her over to a little side room that overlooked the control room through a window. It was completely white and just as bare with absolutely no furniture save a single chair that was positioned right in front of a TV camera. Mavica forced her to sit. Relena made no attempt to struggle but simply looked away as he spoke to her,

"The plan is simple. In approximately an hour, your face will be broadcasted all over the universe from this room. Your job during this show is to announce your retirement from the ESUN as Vice Foreign Minister. If you choose to resist you can say goodbye to your friends as well as the colonies."

"And after I do so?" asked the young woman.

"Ms. Darlian, do you honestly think you will leave here alive?"

Bret Mavica turned and began to walk out of the room. He stopped at the doorway and spoke over his shoulder,

"By the way, there are cameras monitoring the room, and a guard shall be posted outside the door. So killing yourself is out of the question."

He slammed the door and at the same time managed to crush all of Relena's spirit and nearly all her hope. She clung to the arms of the chair desperately struggling to breathe. She knew they were watching her as she struggled to keep her composure. She knew they were enjoying every moment of watching her break down against her will. She clutched the dove pin that Heero had given to her. She often looked to it as a source of comfort at times. Her mind raced and her heart beat quickly and her once last shred of hope drifted through her mind. _I know you can find me. Please hurry before it is too late. _

AN: Action is on the way! Did you like it? Please give me some good feedback we are almost there!

Email: WildRose1404earthlink.net


	25. Chapter 24

AN: Chapter 24, look out everyone! Lots of good old action for everyone. I hope that you all enjoy as my story starts to wrap things up! Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters.

Preventers….

"Let's go people!" shouted Lady Une at one of the control panels.

The Gundam pilots fired up the engines of their re-born fighting machines. The large door of the space port opened and they took flight out into space towards the direction of the enemy. Following them were a team of Magnuacs and Preventers in other mobiles suits.

"Here we go boys, just like the good old days! WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!" exclaimed Duo over the intercom.

Quatre smiled slightly. It did feel good to be inside the cockpit of Sandrock again. He had to admit that despite the burden he carried, some things were always worth it.

Trowa looked at a grid screen inside of Heavyarms. A blinking light on it indicated Relena's exact location inside the enemy's base. It would also lead them exactly to the enemy. "We are about twenty minutes away still," he told everyone. "We shall have to urge all speed in order to reach the Vice Foreign Minister on time."

"Copy that, Trowa," replied Duo. "And I can tell you all one thing right now, when we meet these guys, they are going to wish they didn't mess with Shignami."

"Watch yourself Maxwell," growled Wufei, "or you will get yourself killed.

"Wufei is right," cut in Quatre. "All of us must be on our guard at all times. We will need everyone. So no one had better be a show off, we just need to get the job done."

For a moment there was no reply until Duo's faint reply could be heard,

"In the end, death may be the only reward I shall want to receive."

Trowa frowned at the response. He sensed something was wrong and that Duo was planning on more than they had intended. He knew that it had to do with the girl, Hilde. Sadly he had been told by Sally Poe earlier she would not make it. He was now certain that Duo understood this. Trowa's own fears for the fate of his companion had just been revealed with Duo's own response. Yet the response did make sense: Should they fail death would be the only reward for all would be lost.

Heero was silent, as usual inside of Wing Zero. He was somewhat unsure of himself when he first sat back inside the cockpit. It had been several years since last piloting the giant mobile suit. But as memory progressed through his mind he felt himself grow accustomed to it once more. Heero felt like it had only been just yesterday when he last piloted the suit. No one standing against him would ever know the time that had elapsed since his last aerial battle.

Thoughts of Relena entered his mind as he wondered what would become of her. In a way he felt like he failed to protect her when the enemy took her away. But in the end he saw it was the only chance he had to keep her alive. Now was his only chance to get her back if she still lived. His orders from Lady Une were clear and precise. He was to destroy the base and rescue Relena even at the risk of his own life. He had to save her; the world needed her more than ever right now.

"Heero," interrupted Quatre over he intercom. "There is a meteor shower ahead. Preventers say it should pass us by without inflicting any damage.

"Copy that," replied Heero.

The band of mobile suits prepared itself as they entered the shower field. But to their surprise, instead of feeling some small amounts of turbulence, they drifted through smoothly. Trowa watched as tiny pieces of rock and debris floated by.

"This is no meteor shower," he reported to the others. "This is debris from something else. Something that used to be very large. That's the only reason why Preventers radar could have picked it up, because of the size of it. However, whatever it used to be is now nearly disinigrated. It was destroyed by something very powerful."

Wufei watched as tiny pieces of rock floated by. "My guess is that the enemy has been testing their new toy."

"I think that Wufei is right," replied Quatre. "We shouldn't wait around though to prove his theory. Trowa where are we as of now?"

"Approximately ten minutes away. I'm assuming that they will be waiting for us before we arrive though. We shall need to clear a path for Heero to enter the base somehow," said Trowa.

"Well my guess is that the enemy will come at us with everything they got," stated Duo. "My bet is that they will send out at least three hundred suits to counter our attack."

"That would also leave their hanger wide open," thought Quatre. He paused for a moment. "Heero, if we were to clear a path for you, could you land inside the hanger?"

"Hn," was Heero's reply. He was not so worried about getting inside of the hanger, or getting past the guards and soldiers in the station. His main concern at the moment was to get Relena out safely even if he didn't make it out alive.

"I'll take that as a yes, Heero," replied Quatre. "Everyone, listen to me," commanded the blonde pilot. "We need to keep the battle as far away from the enemy base as possible. The Gundam Wing Zero must land inside of the base. In order to keep that pilot safe as well as the rest of us safe we need to maintain a certain distance around the base. Do we all understand each other?"

"Yes sir," replied several other pilots from the Preventers.

"Master Quatre I believe it is a wise idea," replied Rashid over the intercom.

Quatre smiled slightly, "Thank you my friend, but now I must ask you a favor. I wish for you and the other Magnuacs to split into two teams. You and I shall lead one; the other shall be lead by Trowa. Next I want the remaining Preventers to split in two also. One group shall follow Wufei and the other Duo. Our plan is to scatter the enemy away from the base and form smaller frays rather than one large battle. This way Heero can slip through their defenses and land in the hanger. After we see that Heero has gotten through we shall regroup and finish out the battle together. Remember: Pull the enemy as far from the base as possible."

"All right," said Duo. "Let's lock and load!"

Enemy base…

Pentane was pleased with himself. Everything was going according to plan. The Vice Foreign Minister was in his hands and the Preventers had no way of getting to her. The people of he earth and colonies were panicking under no leadership and no one to guide them. On TV, riots were beginning to break out in the colonies and the people of Earth were blaming the colonies for the recent attack as well as the disappearance of the Vice Foreign Minister. Yes, things were going quite well.

Pentane overlooked outer space through the window in his office. After Relena announced her resignation, and the colonies were destroyed, he would step to the plate and become the new leader of the people. He would give them a new hope and make them serve him as he pleased. Power was nearly within his grasp. He would start new colonies and the people who lived on them would be _his _ideal people. The strongest most able body of human life that the universe had ever seen. And all those that opposed to him would suffer a most horrible death, just as Ms. Darlian would when her job was done.

He almost hated to see her go and depart from this life. She was young and beautiful and influential among the people. For a while he thought about asking the young woman to join him and his cause, but in his dark heart he knew she would never approve. It didn't matter though. She couldn't possibly win now. She was weak and broken. He had made sure he broke her within the past couple of weeks.

Mavica entered the room. He walked briskly over to Pentane who spun around, somewhat angry about being interrupted.

"What is it Bret?" he asked hotly.

"Sir, it's an army of mobile suits. They are heading right for us. Right now they are fifteen minutes away."

Pentane remained silent. Mavica spoke up once more,

"Sir, they are being led by the Gundams."

"How exactly did they find our location?" seethed Pentane.

"We don't know, sir."

Pentane was silent once more. It surprised him, then again it did not. He turned and stared outside of his window again.

"Bret, assemble a large team. I want to wipe them out. Do what you must to get rid of them. They will not ruin years of planning!"

"Yes sir."

"Meet them before they reach the base. They must not attack. And tell the team in the control room to make ready. We will attack the colonies before they even have a chance."

"Yes sir," answered Mavica. He turned to leave. As he walked out the door, a soldier came running into the office. He saluted quickly and Pentane looked at him disgustedly.

"Well what is it?" he demanded.

"Sir we wanted to inform you that Milliardo Peacecraft is one television right now. He is holding a press conference!"

Pentane spun around and walked out of his office at a fast pace. He entered the control room and shoved his way through a small crowd of soldiers gathered around a projected screen. On the screen was the image of a man with platinum blonde hair and blue eyes. He announced himself and Milliardo Peacecraft, a leader of the Cinq Kingdom and brother of Relena.

"So they think that one sibling will replace the other!" cried Pentane.

Angrily he stormed out of the room. On his way out he cried out a harsh command,

"Prepare to attack!"

The Gundam pilots and the rest of their fleet hovered nearby the enemy base. They were still grouped together. Heero had positioned himself behind everyone else to make his presence as unknown as possible.

"That place looks like it could be as big as a colony!" exclaimed Duo.

"Well one thing is for sure," replied Wufei, "justice will be served."

Lady Une's voice came over the intercom,

"Yuy, your plan with Zechs is working. He and Noin called a press conference. Some of the riots have even stopped. Everyone is listening to him as they would Relena."

"Good. Then he should buy us just enough time," replied Heero coldly.

"Right," replied the head of Preventers. "Everyone be safe out there and Godspeed!"

Heero looked out to the base. It was indeed massive. He quickly went over his plan once more in his head. He went over the route he was to take to set off the bomb. He had memorized the base layout before they left. Looking at a map would only cost him time. He felt confident. But something deep inside of him stirred. It was an unfamiliar feeling that he wasn't usually accustomed too. He had to find Relena on time. She was his number one priority as soon as he got out of his Gundam. That would give him more time to search for her before setting the bomb of as well. Deep inside, Heero Yuy was worried.

"Here they come," said Trowa quietly.

Heero snapped out of his thoughts as several hundred enemy mobile suits came towards the fleet.

Preventers Space Port…

Sally watched as the machine helped Hilde to breathe. She was growing desperate. She wanted Hilde to pull through for Duo's sake. But things were not looking good.

"Sally," cried Lady Une from behind her at the door.

Startled the doctor spun around,

"Yes?"

"We are going to need you to set up a medical center for the wounded with the other doctors and nurses. I'm sorry but Hilde will have to wait."

"I'll be right there," replied Sally.

Lady Une nodded and left. Sally turned one more time to look at Hilde. Her face was clouded with despair.

"God, Hilde, I'm so sorry. For both you and Duo." At that she left the room.

The sounds of the room were routine. The beating of the ventilator moved up and down with a slow rhythm.  The occupant in the bed remained motionless. She was deep in sleep unable to awake. But deep down, though no one could tell, she was fighting. Fighting to wake up from the endless slumber. All at once her mind began to whirl, and she heard a female voice call out her name, _"Hilde I'm so sorry…"_

Hilde began to move her fingers. Slowly her eyes fluttered open. Her vision was cloudy and she could barely make out where she was. Her mind was numb. Everything seemed to be spinning. She moved her head a little, as she became slightly more perceptive, and looked at her surroundings. She was in a hospital room. She had no recollection of why she was there though.

Drowsily she struggled to breathe in a little. Coughing and choking though, Hilde gasped for breath. Struggling to sit up she pulled out all the wires attached to her arms and pulled out the ventilator tube. Sucking in air, she gasped and sat back in her seat. She heard the ventilator machine go off in alarm because its former occupant no longer needed it. She leaned over and turned it off so not to disturb anyone.

Hilde breathed in slowly. She couldn't remember what had happened to her that would cause her to end up in the hospital ward. All she knew was that she was aboard the Preventers space port and that she had been helping to rebuild the Gundams with Duo.

"Duo!" exclaimed Hilde. He had to be so worried about her. She had to find him and tell him that she was okay, that things were fine again. She wanted more than ever to let him hold her and kiss her.

Hilde carefully swung her feet over the edge of the bed. She lowered them carefully to the floor and braced herself as she stood up. Her legs were shaky and she almost collapsed to the ground. However, she managed to maintain her balance. Carefully Hilde pulled out the IV needle in her arm. She cringed slightly.

Carefully, by grabbing onto the furniture in the room, she began to make her way towards the door. She peaked out into the hallway and was surprised to see that it was completely empty.  Filled with alarm Hilde inched her way back into her room. She was clad only in a hospital gown. She looked around frantically. On the chair by her bed she saw her clothes neatly folded in a pile. Peeling off her hospital gown she pulled on her clothes and looked out the window of her room. Space was quiet. She squinted her eyes. In the distance, she spotted an army of mobile suits heading away from the space port. _They have all ready launched their attack, _she thought to herself.

Hilde forced herself upright and tried to walk to the doorway. She stumbled from dizziness several times but eventually made it into the hall. She was too weak from being unconscious for so long. Bracing herself against the walls, she made her way down the silent corridor of the infirmary wing. Her blue hair fell about her face, and she could feel her strength already beginning to fade.

Hilde stopped to catch her breath at another window in the hallway. The army was no where in sight now. They were probably already miles away. Grunting Hilde forced herself to move on towards the docking bay. She could now hear the faint sound of voices. As she inched her way closer, they became louder. Just a few more steps and she was there.

Hilde gasped as she entered the command center. It was the center of activity. The hanger was open and all the mobile suits were gone, save for a few that belonged to the Preventers. A huge monitor, attached to the ceiling, projected the army of Gundams, Magnuacs, and Preventers making their way towards a titanic space station. Hilde gasped when she saw Deathscythe appear on the screen.

"Duo," she said under her breath.

Preventers and mechanics scurried about her, completely oblivious to the fact that she was indeed alive. But she didn't notice. All she could do was watch the screen. She glanced to her right and saw another screen projecting the image of Zechs along with Noin at a press conference. Confused, Hilde shrugged the image aside and once again focused on Duo and the other Gundam Pilots. Now she could see the enemy making their way towards the fleet. Hilde estimated about three hundred suits and dolls.

"Commander Une!" cried a voice. "They outnumber us three to one! We need more help!"

"You forget we have five Gundams on our side, soldier! They will do everything in their power to complete their mission. Even if it means death!" replied Lady Une.

A warning signal flashed inside Hilde's head. Death. Shignami. Duo had no idea that she was ok. He was probably torn in two. He would be dangerous out on the battlefield.

She acted without knowing it. She ran into the docking bay and grabbed a spare flight suit. Putting it on she struggled to climb into a spare suit. She sat in the cockpit and fastened herself in then fired up the engine.

Everyone jumped in surprise. A mobile suit was making its way to the open hanger door. Mechanics and Preventers scrambled to stop her. They started to close the door, but Lady Une motioned for them to stop. She peered closely at the cockpit. A voice from behind her made her spin around,

"Commander!" cried Sally. "It's Hilde! Her bed is empty she's disappeared! We have to find her, she is not well at all and it's a miracle she is even alive and…"

Une cut her short and motioned towards the suit,

"I think we can guess where she is going," she replied as Hilde blasted off into space, struggling to catch up with the others.

Sally stared in disbelief. She silently prayed for a miracle.

AN: There we go the next one is on the way! Did u like it? Email: WildRose1404earthlink.net


	26. Chapter 25

AN: Chapter 25! This promises to be one of the most exciting parts in the whole story! Please enjoy and give me some good feedback.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.

Enemy base…

"So Milliardo Peacecraft is back from the dead," growled Pentane. "I will not be threatened any longer!" He marched towards the room where Relena was.

Shocked Relena tried to scramble away from the enraged man. She fell out of the chair and tried to maintain her distance from him. But he was older and stronger, and there was no place for her to hide in the little room. Pentane grabbed her roughly and shook her, all the time yelling curses at her,

"So you think you can send your brother to finish your job? Well it won't work Ms. Darlian! The Peacecraft family is dead! Its whole mission was a failure! Your brother will abandon the name as he once did and as you already have! Prepare yourself! You will be announcing your resignation in a few minutes to the whole universe!"

He released the shaken young woman and she crumpled to the floor. Angrily he marched out of the room and ordered for his people to get ready to set up the whole broadcast.

Relena grabbed hold of the chair and pulled herself up. So this was it? She would give in to their demands and announce her resignation? Several tears made their way down her face and she struggled to breathe. Perhaps she had failed after all. She had given up the name of Peacecraft and chosen Relena Darlian. Yet, Milliardo had done something she would only wish of in her wildest dreams. He had come back to life. He chose his true name and announced it to the world. Could she not also do the same? To do so would mean her death for sure. But now, it was either her death, or the death of millions of other people. The Peacecrafts must survive. It was a symbol of hope and peace. Heero had once taught her that. Heero had also taught her just how strong she could be.

Relena straightened herself to her utmost height. She sat straight back in the chair and looked directly ahead. She refused to give them the pleasure of breaking her. Not until her death at least.

The camera in front of her zoomed in on her face. A red light went on, and Relena was visible to millions of people.

Gundam Fleet….

The mobile suits were advancing quickly. There mission was quite clear. Quatre responded first to the shock and awe of the massive army.

"Approach them at full speed then disperse immediately! Let them chase us as far away from the base as possible! Gundam 01 shall penetrate the defenses and land inside of the base. Our job is to make sure he gets in at any cost, even if we do not make it out alive!"

 Wufei closed his eyes and meditated momentarily. He asked for the strength and wisdom to win this fight. Duo growled slightly and pumped himself up for the battle. If it was to be his last he would give them a fight he would never forget. Trowa was silent and watched as the army approached. In his mind, war was a strange and unknown beauty. Quatre adjusted his flight suit and helmet. He silently prayed for a miracle. And Heero, his eyes began to grow sad and he faced the many truths which he had not yet seen. But at Quatre's call to charge, he snapped aside all thoughts and flew into the battle…

Cinq Kingdom…

Milliardo and Noin raced through a crowd of reporters to their waiting limo. They had chosen to return to the Cinq Kingdom, the home of the Peacecrafts.

The press conference had been a success thus far. Literally diving into the car, they finally relaxed slightly for the first time in hours. Milliardo sank back into his seat and breathed heavily. Noin touched his shoulder.

"I think things are beginning to work out," she said soothingly.

Milliardo sighed and rubbed his forehead. He was beyond hope right now. His worry for Relena was increasing. Besides Noin, she was all that he had left of what a real family was. To add to his worry, the Preventers fleet, led by the Gundams, was probably in battle right about now. The people of both Earth and colonies had no idea how serious the situation had become. They had no clue that their lives could be destroyed at any moment.

"We need Relena," said Milliardo quietly.

"I know we do," said Noin, "but we shall have to find the strength to do this with out her. Should she not make it out alive, we shall have to fill in her place. The people need you right now more than ever."

Milliardo smiled slightly, "I suppose I understand now how Relena felt; all this pressure coming at her and no one to help her. I should have done this a long time ago. No one should have to go through all this alone. And I let them take her and torture her till she couldn't handle it anymore. Politics are so much more than what we think: They are greed, corruption, and power. Relena knew this the entire time and fought to keep things under control. But she just couldn't do it all on her own and I was a fool to think she could."

Noin looked at him sadly. His blue eyes were filled with such sorrow and despair that her heart went out to him. For him to take all the blame was wrong.

"We have all been fools," she said quietly under her breath.

They sat in silence for a while as the limo made its way back to the Peacecraft Mansion. When they arrived, they went straight into an office where they contacted Commander Une.

As the Head of Preventers face appeared on the video screen, Noin and Milliardo sensed worry.

"What is it, Commander?" asked Noin.

"Turn on your television immediately!" she replied.

Milliardo rushed to do so. As they screen appeared he gasped at what he saw. It was a live broadcast of Relena.

Meanwhile at the battle…

Quatre had fulfilled his promise as he and the others drove away the enemy from the base. Heero took the opportunity to move in. He fought through the fray and approached the base. The only thing left standing in his way was a small band of enemy suits, about ten or so, left to protect the hanger, should anyone, such as himself, dare to enter it.

The suits opened fire on him. Heero activated his planetary defensors and moved in. They would not stop him, not today. He opened fired on them and made sure he finished his work quickly. A voice came over the intercom.

"Identify yourself immediately!" cried the voice.

Heero smirked and turned off the communicator. He looked in front of him and saw that the hanger door was beginning to close slowly. Rushing forward, Wing Zero outstretched its arms and ripped apart the doors making its way inside.

Meanwhile…

Relena stared at the camera for a moment, her face unemotional and unreadable. Then she began to give the speech of her life. It would indeed be short, but it would be one to remember.

"Ladies and gentlemen of both the earth and colonies," she began. Her voice faltered. "There is no need for introductions, for you know who I am."

_People of all ages had stopped from their daily activities to watch any available television screen. She was on every channel. The young woman who had been the voice of the people, the former Queen of the World was speaking to them all. _

"I have been asked to address you all today as Relena Darlian, Vice Foreign Minister of the ESUN…"

_Lady Une and the other Preventers watched intently on the large screen in the docking bay. Their faces were grave. Milliardo and Noin held tightly to each others hands. They knew she was speaking against her will, speaking because the enemy wanted her to._

_Pentane sat inside of his office and watched with satisfaction as the young woman issued her address. _

"However, I must inform you that this shall be the last speech that Relena Darlian shall ever make," Relena paused for a moment and tried desperately to regain her strength and will power.

_People looked at one another puzzled at her words. Noin squeezed Milliardo's hand as a tear rolled down her cheek._

Relena struggled to maintain her composure. She had never shown such emotion to the world. Emotion was seen as a weakness. But she let her political mask fall for the first time in her life and opened up her heart to the entire universe.

"For a long time all I had strove for in my life was the hope that the people of Earth and of the colonies would reach and ultimate goal: Peace. Yet, I have realized that peace is something that will never come when the hearts of men struggle for power." Again she paused. "But… people always change, and in my mind, there is still hope for this goal…"

_Wing Zero landed in the hanger. Heero kept his defensors on as several soldiers began to open fire on his Gundam. He grabbed what he needed and prepared to move. Quickly he punched in several commands into the control panel. Having done that, he double-checked on Relena's exact location and left the cockpit. _

_The soldiers outside continued to open fire. Suddenly the hatch to the giant mobile suits opened. The soldiers held their fire, and aimed directly at the hatch. The officer in charge cried out,_

_"Come out with your hands above your head!"_

_When nothing happened, he cried out once again. Suddenly the Gundam moved as it lifted up its arms and opened fire upon the group of men. They cried out and fell to the ground motionless. Heero slipped out of the hatch and made his way to his first destination. _

Relena continued,

"But as Relena Darlian, I can no longer fight for it. I can no longer be the Vice Foreign Minister of the ESUN."

_People began to grow worried in the streets and in their homes on both the Earth and colonies. Murmurs began to grow throughout the crowds. _

_Pentane smiled wickedly in his office and the broadcast. He knew he could break her. _

"I can however, be who I really am," Relena said sadly. "A young woman, whose family was murdered for a cause that they all believed in; and although I may not believe fully in that cause, I do believe in peace and in hope." She closed her eyes for a moment as a single tear rolled down her cheek. And in that moment she broke the hearts of many people.

_Pentane growled at her words, "What the hell is she doing?" he growled as he rushed out of his office._

Relena fought again to control herself. She continued, her voice faltering,

"And for that cause I will sacrifice my life. For you, the people of Earth and colonies! I ask you now to set aside your differences. You have all been tricked into hating one another from a man who wants nothing but power! He would have me resign and give up the fight for peace between the Earth and colonies but I will not!" Her voice grew stronger and more urgent with every word.

"Do not become slaves to this man! He wishes to destroy the colonies and control the Earth. He was behind the attacks on Earth, the mastermind, behind the building of new mobile suits as well as a new Gundam that killed many! He would destroy all that _we_ have always been fighting for! The hope that unity would spread to us all and that we will fight together not against one another! I ask you now, in my final speech to you all to fight together against this man! For together we may form a new republic, and a new era in the relations between the universe."

A commotion outside the tiny room caused Relena to look out of the window. Pentane was storming through the control center coming towards the room. She had to hurry, she was out of time. She continued, her voice urgent and alert, rushing through her last words to the people whom she cared for,

"Please stand together, in a final battle to renew the hope for peace and fellowship! This is my final wish, and these may be my final words to you all: My name is Relena Peacecraft, remember me!"

Pentane screamed,

"Turn off the broadcast immediately!"

The workers in the room had been so moved by Relena's word they hardly paid any heed to their own duties. Now at their leader's angry cry they fumbled through the controls and managed to shut off the camera.

Pentane made his way towards the room and shoved the guard aside,

"Idiot!" he yelled. "Why didn't any one try to stop her?"

Tearing open the door, Pentane stormed into the room. Relena cried out and fell to the ground as Pentane threw aside the chair. She scrambled to get away from him but he grabbed her and pulled her to her feet. Grabbing her roughly, Pentane practically dragged the helpless girl out of the tiny broadcast room and into the control room, in front of his men. He stood Relena on her feet and held her up.

"Take a good look around Ms. Darlian, because this shall be the last view you shall ever see! And you, all of you," he screamed at his men, " take one last look at the Vice Foreign Minister, Relena Darlian, because it too shall be the last you will ever see her alive, the last time her moving speeches shall bore you to tears!"

Relena struggled beneath his arms, trying to find a way out,

"My name is Peacecraft!" she cried desperately.

Pentane hit her and she fell to the floor. Her head was singing from the blow and she was vaguely aware of hi picking her up once more.

"So you will martyr yourself for the name Peacecraft? You have that much faith?" screamed Pentane.

He drew a gun and held it to Relena's head. Cocking back the trigger, he looked at her fearful blue eyes and screamed at her,

"How is your faith now, Relena? How is your faith?"

Relena closed her eyes. The shot rang out and the room fell silent. Yet, strangely Relena felt no pain. But she did feel that the arms that once roughly held her were gone. Opening her eyes, she looked to see Pentane's body in a pool of blood on the floor in front of her.

Relena and Pentane's followers looked behind them. A young man with dark brown hair and lethal Prussian eyes stared back at them, holding up a gun,

"I'd say her faith is pretty good," replied Heero Yuy coldly.

"Heero," Relena said silently to herself.

"Shoot him!" cried the commanding officer!

At this Heero began firing at his foe with a deadly accuracy. Relena in the meantime had taken cover. She watched helplessly as the enemy fired round after round at her rescuer. But Heero did not seem to be phased although he was outnumbered five to one. Each time he fired, his shot always seemed to hit its target. His opponents fell one by one, and Heero slowly made his way over to Relena. Finally, he took out the last man in the room.

Heero looked about the bloody mess in the room. He walked over to Pentane's fallen form and rolled his body over so that he could see the man's face. It was a man he recognized from the ESUN, whom Heero had seen on television quite often before his staged death. Heero had even heard Relena speak of the man several times in conversation. But now the former ESUN member looked up blankly at his killer with a bullet hole in his head. Heero kicked the man's body and turned to find what he had come so far for.

He saw her, huddled in a corner beneath a desk that she had taken cover under. He ran over to her and gently grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. Relena tried her best to stand steadily, but her head was still singing from the blow she had received only moments earlier. Heero held her steady and looked into her eyes. Relena stared back as she held onto his arms and as tears started to form in her blue eyes.

"You came for me," she said quietly.

Heero touched her face softly. The fact that she was alive was more than enough for him at the moment.

"I made a promise Relena, a promise that I will forever intend to keep. I will protect you. I will die for you," he replied solemnly.

Relena nearly melted under his gentle touch and soothing words. She nodded her head slowly as a single tear made its way down her cheek. Heero wiped it away with his hand and stepped back from her.

"Come on, we need to get out of here," he said as he grabbed her had and pulled her out of the room.

AN: How did you like it? Let me know ASAP! Next chapter is coming up, its very exciting the best yet, I promise!

Email: WildRose1404earthlink.net


	27. Chapter 26

AN: Chapter 26. Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.

Peacecraft Mansion…

Milliardo was worried sick. Relena's broadcast had been abruptly shut off and Relena, herself, seemed to be frantically trying to get in her final words. They were coming for her. For all he knew, she was dead right now.

He paced around the room and began to grow angry. He screamed and picked up a vase and threw it. It smashed to pieces on the floor. He began to overturns chairs and lamps. He knocked over the coffee table.

All the while, Noin watched sadly in a corner of the room. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. Relena certainly did know how to give a speech. Her good friend was probably gone from this world, and now, the only man she believed she would ever love was destroying himself right in front of her. She couldn't take it anymore. Things were falling apart. Just when Milliardo looked like he was about to smash the television in, Noin cried out and ran to him. She grabbed his arms and began to plead with him,

"Milliardo, please! Don't do this to yourself! You have to be strong; you have to go on without her! We all do! You are not the only one who suffers!"

"What do you know of it, Lucrezia?" cried Milliardo. "She was the only family I had left, and just when I found the sister I lost, I have only lost her again!"

"And I am losing the only one alive that I have ever considered to be like family to me!" retorted Noin.

She dropped his arms angrily and sat on the couch, nearly the only thing in the room left untouched. She turned her face away from him as fresh tears began to form.

Milliardo stood, dumbfounded. He stared at her for quite some time. Slowly he sat down next to her and grew silent in thought. After a few moments, Milliardo put his hand on her shoulder. She spun around to meet his face. For a moment they looked at each other. Then, Noin gave a small whimper as he drew her tightly into his arms and whispered into her ear,

"I am so sorry, please forgive me, Lucrezia."

"There is nothing to forgive," she replied sadly. "Only know one thing: I could never care for anyone as I do for you. And I hope that with that love, we can find a way to make it through all this together."

Milliardo pulled back and stared into her eyes. He pulled her to him, and as he kissed her he knew that everything would be all right… some how.

Preventers…

"Have we heard from Yuy?" cried Lady Une.

"No," replied Sally heavily.

"Damn it!" cried the Head of the Preventers.

They had all stood still when Relena had issued her address. Now they were in a panic. The battle with the suits had also begun.

"Commander, what would you have us do?" asked Sally.

"All we can do now is pray for a miracle. Our army is outnumbered, and for all we know Relena may be dead. Let's just pray that Yuy is able to destroy that base."

Meanwhile…

The battle was on, and the remaining four Gundam Pilots were locked in the middle of it. Thus far the plan had worked considering Heero had been able to get inside of the base. Now all they had to do was keep fighting to make sure the enemy did not get back to the base so that Heero would have time to destroy. Quatre kept urging the army to keep moving further and further away from the base. This not only gave Heero more time, but it also gave the Preventers a safe distance from the bomb, once it was detonated.

"How are things looking with you Wufei?" asked Quatre through the communicator.

"These men fight like weak onnas! They do not stand a chance against Nataku!" replied the Chinese pilot.

Wufei sliced through the enemy suits with ease. He was one again with his Gundam. It was the part of him that had been missing for years. His spirit was back, nearly all of it. This was where he belonged, this was his home. He wished not to depart from it ever again. He was fighting for what he believed in now: to triumph over evil and let justice be served.

"It just seems like more and more of these suits keep coming!" exclaimed Quatre and he blasted away more of the enemy.

"Let them come!" cried Duo as he sliced through them with his scythe. "When they do, they will meet the God of Death and all that comes with it!"

"Watch yourself Maxwell," warned Wufei. "You act as if you want to die today."

Duo snorted inside of his cockpit,

"What's it to you Chang? You never cared before why should you care now?"

"It is not honorable to take your own life. It is weak," replied Wufei as he brought down another suit.

"Who says that I am taking my own life? They will help me out," said Duo solemnly.

"Duo, stop talking like this; we need you right now more than ever," cut in Quatre. "Wufei, just don't say anything else to him go it?"

"Yes, I "got" it," replied Wufei.

"Let him talk!" cried Duo. "I don't give a damn anymore!" he said as he plunged his Gundam further into the fray.

"Duo!" cried Quatre.

"Let him go, Quatre," said Trowa softly. "His destiny is his own. He shall be the one to make it. It he chooses to die today then we can not stop him from doing so."

"But Trowa, it can not be this way! There are others who care for him!" cried Quatre.

"Quatre," said Trowa, "in the end, death is sometimes the only reward we may gain. Do not be the one to deprive him of that."

Quatre was quiet for a moment,

"I understand," he replied coldly, though in his heart he was still so unsure.

Lady Une came in over the communicator,

"How are things going Winner?"

"As good as can be expected I suppose! But we are outnumbered three to one! We could really use Heero right about now!" replied Quatre.

"Just keep doing what you are doing. You are giving Heero the time he needs to plant that bomb."

"Has there been any word from him yet?" asked Trowa.

"None," said Lady Une gravely.

Trowa and the others all frowned. It was unlike Heero to check in. He was suppose to give them fair warning of when the bomb was being planted. That way they would have time to get out of there.

Trowa looked at a radar screen in his cockpit. A large object was making its way towards the battle. It was coming closer at a fast speed.

"Something is wrong," said Trowa quietly.

Quatre looked up and out of the window of his cockpit. He held his breath at a terrifying sight. It was the Gundam Gehenna. It was making its way into the battle, quickly. It had already started to wipe out the Preventers rear flanks.

"Everyone, come together!" ordered Quatre.

The four smaller groups that made up the army of the Preventers came together as one. The four Gundam pilots sat in front and watched as Gehenna drew closer.

"Who is this guy?" asked Duo.

"Whoever it is, he is good," said Quatre. "He uses the zero system. Therefore, he must be as skilled as Heero, if not stronger."

"That puts us at a slight disadvantage," replied Trowa.

"That does not matter," said Quatre. "We outnumber that pilot. Four Gundams against one, even with the zero system. If we work together, we can defeat him."                                                                                              

"Let him come!" cried Duo. "He shall get a taste of the God of Death!"

"And Nataku!" exclaimed Wufei. "Justice will be served for this machine has killed many innocent people. There is no honor in that."

"All right!" shouted Quatre. "Let's go!"

"YEA!" screamed Duo.

The four of them plunged into a new battle.

Enemy base…

Heero was running with Relena through the base trying to reach the main hull where he would plant the bomb. It was not all that easy. Their presence was now known by the few hundred soldiers still remaining aboard who showed no signs of lightning up even though their leader lay dead in the control room. They were almost there. Heero pulled Relena's hand tighter as he urged her to hurry as fast as her weary body could go. On his back was a pack which carried the bomb. In his free hand he carried his gun.

They were in a hallway now with white splashed walls that almost blinded them along with the lighting. On either sides there were doorways leading to different rooms. Heero hurried Relena along. He still had to plant the bomb then get Relena off the base safely.

Heero stopped suddenly. They had reached a part of the corridor that branched off three different ways. Remembering lay out plans in his head he began to turn right, but he soon stopped once more at the sound of footsteps. He took out a knife and angled it around the corner so that he could see. It was a band of ten or so soldiers, who were, no doubt, searching for him and Relena. Footsteps from the left of the hallway also made him freeze. He could see them coming in both directions. If they were to just keep going straight through they would be seen and if they simply stayed where they were they would be seen. He looked at Relena who had worried eyes. Quickly he pulled her backwards, retracing their steps and began checking all the doors. Most of them were locked. Finally he pulled open two double doors, grabbed Relena, and pulled her in. He shut the doors and locked them in hopes that the soldiers would think them just like all the others.

Heero told Relena to hide wherever she could. He then took his gun and aimed it at the doors intending to kill the first person to enter the room. He could hear them just outside the hallway. Just as he had thought, they were now checking the hallway he and Relena had just been in. They were checking the doors. Finally they were at their door. Heero could hear Relena hold her breath as they started to turn the handle.

"This one is locked sir, like all the rest of them!" said the soldier to his commanding officer.

"All right, let's keep going! They couldn't have gotten very far!"

The footsteps paraded further down the hallway and faded in the distance.

Relena let out a sigh of relief. Heero let down his gun and for the first time, the two of them began to inspect their surroundings. They were in a dormitory, most likely the soldier's barracks, where all of Pentane's men stayed when they were not on duty. On the right, were rows of bunk beds and on the left were lockers and benches. Relena sat down on one of the beds trying to regain her breath. Heero on the other hand, opened one of the lockers and pulled out a flight suit, much like the one he was wearing. It was black and form fitting, with blue stripes going down the side of it. He tossed it across the room to Relena.

"Here, put this on, it will be much easier for you to move in," he ordered calmly.

Relena nodded her head. She watched as Heero opened another locker and pulled out a pair of boots, much like his. He frowned at their size and threw them back and opened another locker. This time he pulled out the black boots and nodded his head after looking them over. He walked over and placed them next to Relena on the bed.

"Thank you," she said.

Heero didn't answer but simply nodded his head and turned away so that she may change with a little bit of privacy. Relena slightly blushed and kept her eye on Heero as she began to undress. She knew he would not look at her, but she was still self conscious about it. She zipped up the flight suit, which hugged her body perfectly. She then sat on the bed and pulled on the boots. They were about half a size too big, but she could move freely in them without any problems.

"I done," she said.

Heero turned around and looked at her. Her form looked so tiny in the black flight suit. And it hugged her curves so well that Heero couldn't help but stare at her for a moment. He quickly snapped out of his thoughts and grabbed Relena's former clothing and placed it into one of the lockers.

"Heero, where do we go from here? The hallway is surrounded by guards..." said Relena quietly.

Heero nodded his head and looked about the room. They were still a level above the central control panel, where he needed to plant the bomb. Going through the ventilation shaft would be too risky, they might be heard by the soldiers. A large laundry shoot caught his eye at the end of the room. He paced over to it and lifted open the door. It was more than big enough for both he and Relena. A large slide that went down into a dark nothingness. Thinking quickly, Heero turned on his wrist-com.

"This is Gundam pilot 01 communicating with Preventers base, do you read me?"

The voice on the other side of the connection was one of surprise,

"Yuy is that you? Where the hell have you been?" asked Lady Une.

"There is no time to explain," said Heero quickly. "Listen I need Howard to look at the base layout plans and tell me where all laundry shoots lead to."

"Laundry shoots?"

"Yes, do it! And hurry!" ordered Heero as he paced about the room.

"He's on it right now. Yuy is Relena with you?" asked Lady Une, a worried tone evident in her voice.

Heero paused and looked at Relena with gentle eyes before he answered,

"Yes she is with me, and she is safe so far."

"Thank God, we've been so worried."

"Well we're not out of here yet," said Heero. "Has Howard finished?"

"Yes here he is."

"Report to me Howard," ordered Heero quickly.

Howard's voice came over the wrist-com,

"According to the lay out plans, all laundry shoots end up in well, the laundry room, on the main floor of the base."

"How would I get to the central control panel from there?" asked Heero.

"It's easy Heero. The laundry facility is only a little ways away from where you were supposed to have landed your Gundam. As soon as you exit the room, make a right and walk to the end of that hallway. Then take another right, and you are at the hanger where you landed. Go straight past the hanger, and take a left. You will then take an immediate right and find yourself at the door, where you should punch in the code. Got all that?"

"Mission accepted," said Heero as he turned off the connection.

"Come here," he said to Relena.

She followed his command and stepped up to the laundry shoot. He held open the door, helped her inside, and told her to sit. He then came in behind her as he closed the door. It was completely dark. Heero could hear Relena breathing heavily. He told her to put her legs in front of her. He grabbed her waist and placed his own legs in front of either side of hers. He could feel Relena tighten her grip on his hands.

Heero pushed forward and away they went down the slide. Relena gasped and held onto Heero. They were going so fast that Heero tightened his grip on her so that she would fall free. They fell into black nothingness for nearly a minute. Then slowly, very slowly, they could begin to make out a tiny light ahead of them. As they continued on, it grew larger and larger until it was suddenly blinding, and they soon felt themselves free falling and landing in a pile of clothes.

They hit the pile with such force that Relena came out of Heero's grip. They were separated and as Heero fell directly onto the laundry and stopped, Relena rolled down the huge pile and hit her head on the concrete floor, going back into the black nothingness from whence they had just come.

AN: Comments please!

Email: WildRose1404earthlink.net 


	28. Chapter 27

AN: Chapter 27. Get ready for lots and lots of action and a killer climax. Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.

Meanwhile…

They were locked in battle with the Gundam Gehenna and the rest of the enemy fleet. However, things were not to their favor. Gehenna was slaughtering the Preventers mobile suits. The remaining pilots struggled as it lashed out at them with full force.

"This guy really knows his stuff!" cried Quatre as he dodged a blow from the massive machine.

"He is highly advanced in his skills," said Trowa. "It is evident of his use of the zero system too. He has been practicing for years. Whoever taught him taught him well."

"Well there's four of us and one of him! We'll get him somehow. He will taste Shignami whether he wants to or not!" shouted Duo and as the God of Death charged forward towards Gehenna, scythe upraised. He lashed out and struck the enemy Gundam. In return Gehenna struck back with a force so great that it sent Duo backwards.

Trowa jumped in with Heavyarms and began to open fire. He protected Duo as he recovered from the blow. He also managed to inflict some damage into the large machine. However, it did not seem to make it slow down.

"All we need is one good hit to get this guy!" exclaimed Quatre. He charged in with Sandrock and began attacking left and right. Yet despite, his efforts the Gundam always managed to ward off his blows. Suddenly the Gundam flung Sandrock across the way.

"Quatre, are you okay!" cried Trowa.

For a moment there was no answer. Then Quatre's voice came over the communicator,

"I'm fine. This guy is too good though. We need to combine our efforts not just attack him individually. It shall get us no where."

Wufei snorted,

"He plays with us right now like we are his toys. We must show him what we are really made of!"

"Here! Here! Wu-man!" cried Duo.

"All right," said Quatre. "Rashid, I want you and all of the remaining Manguacs and Preventers to keep fighting the smaller mobile suits and cover for us."

"Understood Master Quatre," replied the Arabian man.

"All right everyone," continued Quatre, "we need to find a way to surround this guy. Then we attack him with full force."

"Right!" cried Duo.

"Let's go!"

Inside of Gehenna…

Bret Mavica smiled fiercely at the efforts of the Preventers army. There were only four Gundam pilots though. He never saw the Wing Zero piloted by the great Heero Yuy. It troubled him greatly. A panicked voice came over his communicator,

"Sir, Commander Pentane is dead! And Relena Darlian has escaped!"

"What?" cried Mavica.

"It was a Gundam pilot, sir; he landed in our open hanger and rescued the girl!"

"Well find them and destroy them! They must not escape! Make sure his Gundam is heavily guarded. I am on my way back to the base right now!"

"Yes sir!"

Bret Mavica smirked. So the old man was finally dead. Heero Yuy had done him a favor. Now he was in control of the organization. All he had to do now was complete the task he was sent out to do. He would return to the base and kill Heero Yuy and Relena Darlian.

"This is Commander Mavica to base," he said over the communicator.

"Yes sir?" answered the operator.

"Prepare yourselves. I want to destroy the Preventers space port. You know what I mean. Make ready the machine and I will return shortly."

"Yes sir."

Bret Mavica turned his Gundam around and prepared to head back to the base. Once he got there no one could stop him. Not even the Gundam pilots.

Meanwhile…

"Where the hell does he think he's going?" exclaimed Duo as they watched Gehenna change its course.

Quatre paused for a moment. Realization hit him hard,

"He knows that Heero is inside! Something is amiss! We can not let him return there! Hurry we must destroy him! It's now or never!"

With that the pilots surrounded the Gundam Gehenna and began firing at him with full force. Gehenna lashed out at them and fought back. Trowa fired at the Gundam trying to weaken its defenses while Wufei and Duo moved in for combat. Quatre made sure that none of the other enemy suits would stand in their way.

Gehenna unleashed a beam saber and struck at Wufei and Shenlong. Wufei retaliated with his beam lance with as much force as he could muster. He was quick and agile as he avoided Gehenna's sharp blows. Unfortunately, he could not avoid all of them. Wufei staggered back.

Trowa stepped in and began to fire Heavyarms' rapid artillery. He hit his target and managed to inflict some damage. For a moment the giant Gundam was still. Trowa was about to move in to finish him off when Gehenna came back to life. Taking its beam saber, it slashed at Trowa's Gundam, taking off its left arm. The cockpit shook. Trowa struggled to control the machine. He was spinning now barley avoiding hitting some of his own companions.  The cockpit shook again and Trowa felt as if he couldn't breathe. He blacked out and knew nothing more.

"Trowa!" screamed Quatre. "Trowa, can you hear me!"

There was no reply. Quatre looked to see the giant Gundam simply floating in space. With a cry of rage, Quatre began and onslaught of attacks against Gehenna. He unleashed his twin scythes and began to hack and slash at his attacker. But his fury blinded his ideals and Gehenna threw him aside.

Duo cried out and began to attack in Deathscythe Hell. Swinging his scythe his matched the Gundam Gehenna with his beam saber. Duo swiped at Gehenna and inflicted a mighty blow.

"How does it feel you S.O.B.?" screamed Duo. Tell me how does it feel?"

The Gundam Gehenna staggered back. Inside the cockpit, Bret Mavica was fed up,

"I have had enough!" he cried. "They have delayed me long enough. Time to just let it all go!"

He punched several controls and buttons. He would destroy them once and for all.

Duo watched as Gehenna returned its beam saber and pulled out its new line of defense: A giant beam cannon. Duo stared at the weapon and saw his death written in the Gundam. Death by way of a Gundam. Duo smiled sadly to himself. He had walked the Earth as Shignami for long enough. Now it was coming for him. He let Deathscythe stand still as Gehenna took aim. Tears began to slide down his cheeks,

"Take me please!" Duo sobbed. "Kill me now! Please… don't make me wait for death any longer!"

"Duo!" cried Quatre.

"Get out of their," cried Wufei. "Move, do anything! Don't just stand there!"

But Duo did not reply. He simply watched as the tears slid down his cheeks as Gehenna raised the beam cannon and took aim.

"I'll see you soon…" whispered the pilot of Deathscythe, the God of Death. He closed his eyes and waited for the final blow. He heard the explosion. He heard the fire. But he felt nothing at all. Opening his eyes, Duo saw that the beam cannon had exploded and was on fire. Quatre and Wufei were now moving in and attacking the Gundam Gehenna with everything they had.

A female voice came over the Duo's communicator,

"I'm sorry, Maxwell, but you will have to die another day."

Duo's heart nearly leapt out of his chest.

"Hilde!" he cried with joy.

"Yea it's me," she replied weakly.

Duo looked to see a mobile suit standing right in front of him. Sure enough inside the cockpit was his blue-haired angel. She was alive and breathing and well.

"Hilde, I thought you were going to leave me."

Hilde sighed as she looked at Duo's Gundam,

"You were the reason I came back…" she said softly. She gasped and struggled to catch her breath. She was still very weak from days of inactivity.

"Hilde?" asked Duo in a worried tone. He could hear her raspy breaths over the communicator. Something was wrong.

Hilde felt as if she was suffocating. He head began to spin and she slowly began to close her eyes. The last thing she remembered was Duo calling her name. She felt faint and slowly her surroundings became very dark.

"Hilde!" cried Duo. She was not answering him.

Meanwhile, Quatre and Wufei were continuing the battle with the now weakened Gundam. They were taking the upper hand now. They were just about to finish it off when a voice came over the communicator,

"I would appreciate it if you would allow me the honor to finish this assailant."

"Trowa!" exclaimed Quatre happily.

Sure enough, Trowa Barton had risen Heavyarms up. Although, his left arm was missing, his right arm was ready and fully operational. He raised it up, took aim, and fired several missiles at Gehenna.

Inside the cockpit, Bret Mavica cried out loud. The zero system was beginning to get to his head. He saw himself burning up inside of the Gundam. He felt the cockpit shake, and his body tremble. Screaming out loud, he realized that dream would soon be a reality. Panicking, he scrambled to the back of the cockpit holding his head like a child. He pressed a large red button. He had an escape capsule installed for such purposes. A hatch opened allowing him to enter the capsule. Just as he was about to climb in the cockpit shook again as another missile was fired at him. Mavica lost his footing and fell, hitting his head sharply. Crying out, he held his head and numbly climbed to his feet while blood dripped all over his body. He climbed into the capsule and set off back towards the base. Inside the capsule he held a detonator,

"I will not give them the pleasure of destroying my Gundam," he said as he pushed the button.

The blast was phenomenal. The four Gundam pilots shielded their eyes and their cockpits trembled.

"He self-destructed!" cried Quatre.

"Weakling. We shall see him no more," said Wufei. He added, "Justice has been served to those who dealt out death and judgment."

"Look at that over there!" said Quatre pointing to a small object flying back towards the base.

"He's escaped," said Trowa.

"Not for long," replied Wufei as he shuffled his Gundam forward.

"Let him go," cried Trowa. "He can no longer harm us. He is nothing now without his Gundam."

Wufei gritted his teeth but held firm as they watched the object fly away.

At the sight of Gehenna exploding, all the other enemy suits seemed to panic and give up. They were now all fighting for their lives. But the Manguacs and remaining Preventers overtook them. Victory was in their hands. They had seized the day!

"We need to return to the base immediately!" cried Duo. "Hilde is hurt!"

"Not only that," added Wufei, "but we need to get out of here before Yuy decides to set off that bomb. It could be any moment for all we know."

"We can only pray that he makes it in time," said Quatre. "Duo, are you able to carry Hilde's suit back to the space port?"

"Yes," replied Duo heavily.

"Trowa will you make it back all right?"

"So far I think I can manage," replied Trowa grimly.

"All right," said Quatre. "Let's get out of here."

Enemy base…

Heero slid down the pile of laundry to Relena's still form. He picked up her body and held her.

"Relena," he said calling her name.

Her eyes slowly fluttered open. She looked at Heero and then slowly sat up dazed and confused. Heero lifted her to her feet.

"Come on," he said. "We are almost there."

Grabbing her hand they began to run down the path that Howard had told them to take. They crawled by the hanger seeing that it was heavily guarded on the inside. Heero cursed in his mind. He had planned on dropping off Relena at Wing Zero for her own safety. But that was out of the question now. It was too risky and he didn't have the time to clear an entire hanger full of twenty or so men. They pushed on towards the central control panel.

They were running down the hallway when a shot rang out from behind them. It just missed Relena and hit the wall beside her as they turned a corner. Relena screamed slightly and Heero pushed her in front of him. He fired back and took out three men.

"Run!" he ordered to the young woman. Relena took off with Heero at her heels firing back behind them. Relena occasionally had to duck her head as bullets hit the walls beside her.

"Go left!" Heero ordered once more. He followed Relena as she obeyed his words. He then saw her make an immediate right, just as Howard had said in the last part of his directions.

They were now in front of the door to the control panel. It was a massive steel framed door with laser lights surrounded the frame. A key pad sat on the wall. Heero took the opportunity to change the clip in his gun. After doing so, he fired away and fended off their remaining attackers.

Moving Relena aside, Heero walked up to the keypad and entered the code. He stood back and the massive steel doors opened. He heard Relena gasp in surprise.

Before them, was the large pillar. Heero walked inside, Relena following him slowly with fearful eyes. She wanted to leave this place; she felt that something was wrong, terribly wrong. Still she trudged on. The pillar was surrounded by what looked like a dark bottomless pit. Looking down, Relena could not even begin to guess the depth of it. She watched as Heero unslung the pack from his back and began to pull out what he needed. Relena watched him work quickly. She suddenly realized what he was putting together.

"Heero, do you plan to blow this place up?"

"Yes, Relena," he answered simply. "This pillar gives power and controls nearly everything in this station. It is also the very center of it. Should we destroy it, we would be able to destroy this whole station as well."

Relena nodded her head in understanding. She had one more question in mind though,

"Heero how will you attach it to the pillar. There is no way to get to it."

"You'll see," he replied coldly.

Heero was ready. He picked up the bomb. Spotting another keypad he walked over to it. Punching in the second code that he learned he waited. Sure enough, as the plans had foretold, a bridge formed and made its way across the pit to a platform that surrounded the pillar. Heero motioned for Relena to follow him. Cautiously, they made their way over to the platform.

Relena shuddered and forced herself not to look down. She followed Heero who had begun to mantle the bomb. He worked carefully all the while explaining to her what would happen,

"After it is set, we will have approximately seven minutes to get out of here. However in that time, several smaller explosions shall proceed prior to the final blast."

Relena nodded her head in understanding. It would give them just enough time to get out of there. Heero was just about finished. He clipped the final wires.

"Let's get…" he stopped short as a shot rang out. Heero grunted and fell grabbing his left arm. Relena knelt down beside him. Heero's blood was covering the floor. He lifted himself up and looked at his attacker.

Bret Mavica stood over them with a crazed look on his face. He pointed the gun straight at them.

"Get up," he ordered. He grabbed Relena roughly and shoved her to the bridge. Heero narrowed his eyes into an icy glare but obeyed. He held his arm and walked across the bridge, Mavica following behind him with the barrel of his gun at Heero's back.

Little did Mavica know that the clock was ticking.

AN: What did you think?! Let me know.

Email: WildRose1404earthlink.net


	29. Chapter 28

AN: Chapter 28. Okay everyone, I lied. This is the chapter with the killer climax. I'm sorry when I write I am unpredictable. Well let's get going.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.

"So this is the great Heero Yuy," said Mavica grimly. "The Gundam Pilot who saved both the Earth and colonies, the Perfect Soldier. Emotionless, cold, and uncaring…"

Heero glared at Mavica. He noticed that the man was badly injured. His flight suit was torn, and he had a deep gash on his head. As a result, his hair was blood streaked and his face a mess. Heero guessed he had seen a great deal of battle.

"…or do you truly car about something? Perhaps a certain someone?" said Mavica as he pointed the gun directly at Relena who stiffened.

Heero could feel his anger growing. He watched as Mavica walked towards her with the gun.

"Pretty little thing isn't she, Yuy? It's a shame she has to die…" said Mavica as he cocked the trigger back.

An explosion went off taking Mavica off guard. Relena screamed and lost her footing and fell to the ground. Heero took the opportunity and lunged for the man. He tackled him to the ground and began to grapple with him for the gun. Heero punched him and the gun went sprawling across the floor. Mavica head butted him back and Heero fell off of him slightly dazed. He retaliated quickly however when he saw that Mavica was reaching for the gun once more. Heero picked himself up and kicked the gun away before Mavica could grab it.

Heero picked his opponent up and off his feet. He kicked him several times in the ribs, causing the man to cry out in pain. However, Mavica grabbed Heero's wounded arm and with his hand dug deep into the wound, causing Heero to cry out in pain and drop him. Mavica seized the opportunity. He grabbed Heero and gripped his hands around his neck and began to strangle him picking him off his feet. Heero was silent as he grunted and swung his feet trying to get out of the death grip. Heero gathered up his strength and head butted the man, sending both of them to the ground.

Mavica pulled a knife. He approached Heero. Pouncing on top of the Gundam Pilot, Mavica placed his knee on Heero's chest and the other on his throat. Holding the knife in the other hand, Mavica smiled viciously at Heero,

"So this is the Perfect Soldier? I might have expected something more," he said as he started to draw the knife down towards Heero's throat.

Suddenly, Mavica stopped and jerked his head and fell over unconscious. Heero looked up to see Relena standing over him, the handle of the gun in her hand.  Heero stood up and looked at her, right into her eyes. His lips parted and he was about to speak but a second, stronger explosion rocked the entire space station and both of them sprawled in opposite directions. Relena landed roughly by the doorway and Heero slid over the edge of the platform into the pit. He grabbed the edge just in time.

Debris began to fall every where. Parts of the control panel were beginning to fall apart. The whole space station would soon be destroyed. Relena watched in horror as Heero struggled to hold on to the ledge. He cried out in pain when his wounded arm could no longer take it. He held on with one arm.

"Heero!" screamed Relena from the safety of the doorway. She tried to take a step forward to reach him but heavy pieces of the station began to fall from the ceiling, making the path deadly.

Heero grunted. He looked down into the black nothingness. So this is what it had come down to?

"Relena? Relena, I want you to listen to me," he cried from the edge.

"Yes?" she replied.

"Tell me how much time is on that clock!" he shouted to her.

Relena peered over at the bomb,

"Four minutes!" she replied.

Heero sighed. That would do just fine,

"Relena, listen to me, I've programmed Wing Zero to fly you directly back to the Preventers! I want you to go now! Do it while you still have time!"

"Heero I won't I can't just leave you like this!" cried Relena desperately.

"Do it!" he screamed at her. "I made a promise to get you back alive at any cost! Do it! The world needs you, Relena Peacecraft!"

Heero sighed. He would not see her die like this. He felt his fingers beginning to slip. _Remember me Relena._

Relena breathed heavily at the doorway. It was now or never. She ran forward dodging the metal debris that flew down from above. She slid and caught Heero's hand just as he was about to slip and fall. Grunting she struggled to pull him up.

"Relena!" cried Heero angrily. "Get back!"

"I'm not leaving you, Heero Yuy, and by the looks of it right now you should not be complaining!"

She grunted and held onto to his hand with all her might as she pulled him to the safety of the ledge. Heero pulled himself up and grabbed her shoving her towards the doorway. Once there he grabbed her roughly and shook her emotion burning in his Prussian blue eyes,

"Damn it Relena! Why? Why did you do it? You could have saved yourself!" he cried desperately as he held her arms tightly.

Relena just looked into his eyes and cried out at him,

"Because I never could have lived with myself knowing that I could have tried, Heero!"

Heero looked at her and suddenly found himself crushing his body against hers. Relena held onto him as he hugged her and as tears ran down her cheeks. He quickly pulled away however and looked at the bomb. A minute and a half left.

"Run!" shouted Heero. He and Relena took off down the hallways the way they had come. A third explosion knocked them off their feet. Heero recovered first and picked up Relena and they continued as the whole space station shook. There was only one minute left.

They reached the hanger. The remaining soldiers ignored them as they climbed into the Gundam Wing Zero. They sat in the cockpit, Relena in Heero's lap. He fired up the engines and turned the Gundam towards the closed hanger door.

"Hang on," said Heero.

He raised the beam cannon and blasted through the door.

Meanwhile…

Bret Mavica awoke his head throbbing. Yuy and Darlian were gone but that didn't matter. He rose to his feet. He would show them. He would show them all. All he had to do was blow up the entire Preventers station. That's what he would do. He would show them all. Then he would be the genius one. No more following in Pentane's footsteps. He was the leader now.

Mavica smirked and turn around. But, something caught his eye. It was only then did he realize that time had run out.

Heero and Relena had barely left the hanger when they felt Wing Zero begin to tremble. Heero began to urge all speed out of his Gundam but he knew it may not be enough.

The space station exploded like a giant supernova. It was magnificent and glorious and deadly beautiful.

The waves of heat and fire were rapidly approaching them. Heero began to feel the force of the heat inside of the cockpit. The Gundam shook and trembled as if it were in an earthquake. Relena held on tightly to Heero as the cockpit shook tremendously. Heero held onto her frail form. The fire from the explosion soon covered them.

Preventers…

Cheers arose from the Preventers crew as the four Gundam pilots returned. Not only that but they had seen the enormous explosion on the television monitor. People hugged and laughed and cried. The pilots who had survived the battle arose from their cockpits joyously.

Quatre helped Trowa out of Heavyarms. He was unsteady on his feet still from the blow he had taken earlier. But the former acrobat insisted that he need not go to the infirmary and that he was fine. Quatre simply smiled.

Duo on the other hand rushed out of the Deathscythe and over to Hilde's mobile suit. He tore open the cockpit and lifted her limp body out.

"I need a medic over here!" he screamed.

He placed Hilde gently on the ground and her eyes fluttered open,

"Duo?"

"Yeah babe?"

"Did we get them?" she asked meekly.

Duo couldn't help but crack a sad smile.

"Yeah, babe, we got them."

"Good, for a little bit, things didn't look so good…" she said as her eyes closed once more.

"Hilde?" cried Duo in alarm.

Sally and a team of medics rushed over. Sally checked Hilde out quickly. Duo watched with worried eyes. Finally Sally sighed, looked at Duo, and to his surprise smiled,

"She's going to be fine. She just needs to rest. You can go with her to the infirmary if you like."

Duo breathed a sigh of relief and smiled for the first time in a while. He looked over at Quatre and Trowa who had been watching him intently. Quatre smiled at him reassuringly, and Trowa nodded his head. Duo jumped up and held Hilde's hand as they carted her off.

Sally smiled happily as she watched Duo walk off. She turned around and before her was Wufei. For a moment all she could do was look at him. He stared straight back at her, right into her eyes. And the next thing they knew, they were hugging each other relieved and overjoyed that all was well once more.

Lady Une was on the phone with Milliardo and Noin,

"Has there been any word from Heero and Relena yet?" asked Milliardo intently.

"No, I'm afraid not," replied Lady Une gravely. "We have been trying to contact them for a while now, but there is no reply. We fear they may not have made it out in time."

Milliardo sighed. Noin shook her head and covered hr hands with her face.

"Well," said Milliardo, "if that is the case then there is nothing we can do."

"I'm afraid so," replied the Head of the Preventers heavily.

One hour later…

The remaining four pilots looked out of the window into outer space. Their faces were all full of concern and worry. Heero and Relena had not yet come back and there was no word on them. Lady Une feared the worst as did many others. Milliardo and Noin were on their way back to the station.  They would arrive within the next couple of hours.

Wufei stood with his arms crossed over his chest. A foul expression was marked on his face. They had conquered the enemy today, and there was much cause for celebration, however, the loss of a companion was too much at the moment to even think of anything else. _Yuy you've done it before, I know you can do it again. I know that you would survive. If not for you, it would be for her. _

Duo was unusually quiet as he thought about his stoic friend. Heero was the first Gundam pilot he had come to know other than himself. And possibly one of the first friends that Duo had met in the past couple of years. Although it had been difficult to be a friend to someone who didn't even feel the need for one, Duo knew that deep down Heero would be missed should he not make it. The thought of losing Relena was also on his mind. She had been a pillar of strength for all of them. A symbol of hope.

Quatre kept looking out of the window desperately for any signs of the Wing Zero. He squinted his eyes, peering into the distance. He would not give up until it was for certain that they were both gone. He would not give up.

Trowa was silent and expressionless. Heero was a good companion and a good soldier. He was the best of them all. To lose him would be a great loss. Trowa bowed his head. Heero had done, after all what he had also told Trowa to do. He followed his emotions and they led him to Relena. Trowa knew Heero loved the girl, even if his mind denied it, his heart could not. There were moments when Trowa and the others could catch Heero lost deep in thought, or times when he would stare at Relena with threads of emotion burning in his eyes.

They were all just about to turn away when Quatre cried out loud,

"Look! It's Wing Zero!" he exclaimed as he pointed to a mobile suit approaching the base.

They took off running for the docking bay, as fast as they could. When they pulled in there was a huge commotion and excitement. Wing Zero stopped and the cockpit opened. Sure enough, out jumped Heero Yuy. He returned around behind him and helped Relena out. Cheers arose from the entire docking bay. A roar that rose up like a wave. The last of the Gundam pilots had returned.

Quatre, Duo, Wufei, and Trowa ran up to meet Heero as he jumped to the solid ground of the hanger. Duo slung his arm around his should and clapped him on the back grinning from ear to ear. Quatre shook his hand and smiled so warmly that he lit up the whole room. Trowa simply nodded to Heero with out any real expression on his face. But at that moment, if you looked into Trowa's eyes you could see that he was smiling. Wufei took one look at Heero and smirked. Heero smirked back, one of the closest things to a smile he had ever come.

Heero looked behind him as his fellow companions led him away at Relena. She was being surrounded by throngs of people. Lady Une finally led her away with Sally towards the infirmary where Relena would be treated for minor injuries. He caught Relena's eyes as she was on her way out. She stared right back at Heero, and unwritten emotion on her face. But her eyes were gentle and warm.

"Heero buddy, you are bleeding like a stuck pug!" exclaimed Duo as they examined his right arm.

"It's nothing," replied Heero quietly.

"Well whether it's nothing or not, I think we should just get it checked out," said Quatre as they too, made there way to the infirmary.

Heero simply nodded. He followed his fellow pilots to the hospital wing.

On their way over, Heero glanced around him. Everyone was cheering and excited and happy. He did not feel the same however. Thoughts of past events were flooding through his mind. Thoughts of Relena plagued him. He was silent as the others chatted happily and clapped each other on the backs for a job well done.

Later…

Relena sat in the infirmary as Sally examined the lump on her head. She had a number of cuts and bruises but nothing serious.

"Well, Relena, you don't appear to have a concussion. All I can say is go to your room and get some rest," Relena nodded her head.

"Thank you Sally," she said as she hopped off the examination table.

Relena began to walk out of the room when someone called her name. Relena turned around and saw Hilde lying on a hospital bed. Relena smiled and walked over and took Hilde's hand.

"Hilde! I am so glad to see you're getting better," said Relena softly.

Hilde smiled warmly.

"Me? Why I heard that they were worried sick over you! I can't imagine what you have been through. I'm just glad that you are okay."

"I'm fine," said Relena. She turned as a tall figure strode up to Hilde's bedside. Relena looked to see Duo staring down at Hilde with intent eyes. Relena saw that Hilde was staring back at him the same way. Relena smiled,

"I will just let you two catch up on things," she said as she moved away.

Duo knelt down beside Hilde and grasped her hand,

"Hey babe, how you feeling?"

"Better," replied Hilde softly as she looked into his eyes.

Duo covered his face with his free hand for a moment. Then he looked up once more and said,

"Why did you do it babe? Why did you come all the way out there? I almost lost you and I can't bear the thought of almost losing you again or worse."

"Oh Duo, I did it because I'm so crazy in love with you," she replied smiling.

Duo embraced her and kissed her gently.

Relena in the meantime was making her way out of the infirmary. She stopped as Heero walked towards her. He stopped and stared at her, both of them unable to do anything but absorb one another. She noticed that his right arm had a clean bandage on it. She was glad nothing more had happened to him. Finally Relena spoke,

"Heero, I just wanted to say thank you for what you did. You saved my life."

Heero looked at her with burning blue eyes,

"Relena, I made a promise to you. I will always be there for you."

Relena looked at him and nodded her head. She then brushed past him as she made her way out the door.

Heero watched her go. The expression on her face was one of sadness. He felt as if he should call out for her and go after her. But he let things be the way they were. He couldn't shake the feelings that were beginning to burrow up inside of him. He had a knot in the pit of his stomach. He had to get away. He had to get some air.

Heero left the hospital wing and walked away from the world so that he could be alone. He didn't want to have to think about anything at the moment but his head was so full of thoughts that he felt as if he would burst. There was only one place to go at a time like this: Wing Zero.

Heero made his way to the hanger and opened the cockpit. He sat inside and placed his fingers lightly over the controls. He couldn't understand what he was feeling. A sudden sadness engulfed him. Memories from the past raced through his mind. Relena floated through his mind. There was something that he couldn't place about her that he couldn't find or understand. After sitting for a few more moments, Heero decided to consult one of the only people who may have the wisdom to help him.

Meanwhile…

"Relena!" shouted Milliardo Peacecraft as he entered her living quarters.

Relena jumped up excitingly and hugged her brother tightly. She smiled and smiled and never felt so much comfort and security and security in all her life.

"Milliardo it's so good to see you!" she exclaimed as she let go of him. She then proceeded across the room to give Noin the same warm welcome.

Milliardo grabbed his sister once more,

"God, Relena, I thought we lost you forever."

Relena smiled sadly as she hugged her brother tighter, the only real family she had left.

"For a while, Milliardo, I thought so too. But all is well now. The organization has been destroyed for good and we begin to pick up the pieces and rebuild both the colonies and Earth."

"As well as the Peacecraft family," added Milliardo with a smile.

Relena's heart leapt at his words and she smiled sadly as tears began to form in her eyes. She knew from now on that things were going to be all right.

Meanwhile…

Heero was now locked in the room that had been given to him. He checked the line to make sure it was clear then dialed the number to the one with all the answers. He waited and soon an old man with frazzled white hair appeared on the screen.

"Heero, my boy, how have you been making out? I here you just completed another successful mission," said Dr. J

"How did you know?" asked Heero coldly.

"Have you forgotten already? You must remember that I am a "mad" scientist. I have my sources," replied the man with a smile. "'I know much more about people than they may think. It helps, I suppose, when the entire universe believes that you have passed on to nothing more than a memory."

Heero nodded his head at his former instructor. He had to get to the point though,

"Dr. J, lately my mind has been unsound. I feel as if I am being torn in two and…"

"I knew this day would come to pass," said the scientist somewhat sadly. "Heero, the worst impact that life will ever have on you will be the fact that you have to live it. You have never known what the value of life meant until the day you met your fellow Gundam Pilots and a certain blonde haired young woman. Or you to become human and live life will be a hard task. You were programmed to never feel, to never just _be._ But ever since you met the people you are with now, all of that is changing. The people around you have loved ones, a home, and sometimes a family. They feel and they live and that is what makes them humane."

"How can I become human if all I have known is the life of a soldier, the way of death?" said Heero coldly.

"Ah, Heero, even a soldier feels pain and heartache though he may not wish to admit it. You do not believe that you have emotion because nearly all your life you were told you had none. But Heero, the secret is that you do. They are buried, deep inside of you, just waiting to be let out. You keep fighting with them and struggling with them because you do not understand what it feels like to _feel_."

"What should I do?" asked Heero.

Dr. J smile at the young man before him,

"Do what you would tell anyone else to do: Follow your emotions."

With that, the connection shut off and Dr. J was once again a memory to the world, a thing of the past. Very few knew about his existence except for Heero.

Heero drew a long sigh and stood up. He walked over to his bed and lay down. For a while he stared at the ceiling and began to think about his past and what had been taken from his life. He had never thought about it before. Dr. J was right he hadn't really lived at all. He was like a machine just doing what he was programmed to do. Until Relena and the others had come along and he began to slowly open up his mind.

Heero searched for the answer deep in his soul, if indeed he did have one. And he began to believe that he did. He began to believe that he did carry emotion. He began to believe that perhaps he could start to live his life. To really live it and not feel so alone. Heero drifted off into sleep.

AN: So that was the last chapter! AHHHHHHHHHHH! What did you all think? Next up is the epilogue I hope you enjoy!

Email: WildRose1404earthlink.net 


	30. Epilouge

AN: This is the epilogue the last and final part of this story. I would just like to take this time and thank everyone who has been supporting me. I really appreciate it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.

_Heero was running down the dark corridor. Something was chasing him, for he was firing his gun behind him. Suddenly he was out of ammo. He dropped the gun and began to run faster and faster. Sweat was covering his entire body. He felt fear. He really felt it. He ran faster and faster. Ahead of him was a red light. He ran to it against his will although something inside him told him to stay away from it. _

_Heero entered the light and was blinded and absorbed by the horror that came with it. All around him were images of war and blood and battle. Mobiles suits and soldiers, and innocent civilians. Heero looked at his hands. They were suddenly covered in blood._

_"No!" he cried._

_He began to run again but several men jumped him and beat him to his knees. Heero struggled but there were just too many of them. They bound his legs and arms to four wooden posts and began to whip him. Heero grunted as the pain seared through his back. He could feel the blood dripping down. The men were laughing at him, condemning him to eternal damnation. Loneliness engulfed him and Heero prayed for death as the whip lashed across his back again and again and again. He closed his eyes and heard the voice one more,_

_"Heero," it called._

_He recognized the voice. Heero opened his eyes. He felt no more pain. He looked around him and saw that the blood was gone and he was in a place bathed in a brilliant white light._

_"Heero…"_

_He spun around to find the voice. Her voice. Heero looked before him and the faces of the people he knew flashed before his eyes. The Preventers and the Manguacs. Lady Une and Sally Poe along with. Milliardo and Noin. Hilde and Howard smiled at him warmly. Then the faces of his fellow Gundam pilots: Quatre, Duo, Wufei, and Trowa. They looked at him with warmth and compassion. Heero stared back at them for a long time. Suddenly the voice came again from behind him._

_"Heero."_

_He spun around and there she was. Clothed in white like an angel from heaven. She was walking towards him, slowly and steadily._

_"Relena," he gasped. _

_"Don't leave us Heero, don't leave me," she said as she took his hand into hers. _

_"Relena…"_

Heero sat up in bed with a start. He was breathing heavily. But he knew what he had to do.

He threw on his clothes and walked from his room to Lady Une's office. He knocked on the door.

"Come in," said the Head of the Preventers.

Heero walked through the door and stared at her.

"Heero," she exclaimed, "What can I do for you?"

"We need to talk…" began Heero as he closed the door.

Relena stood by the large bay window that overlooked the Earth. She would be returning soon. Back to the Cinq Kingdom, the world that she once knew. It certainly had been quite the adventure. She thought about all that everyone had gone through. It had been a rough couple of months.

She spun around when Heero Yuy entered the room behind her. She stared at him then sharply turned her gaze back out to the green and blue globe in front of her. She could feel his presence behind her the entire time. They were silent, no words needed to be exchanged at the moment. Finally Heero spoke up,

"Relena, I've been meaning to talk to you…"

"Your leaving again aren't you? Well in that case you need not say anything if all you have to say is goodbye," she said sadly. "But know this," she said as she swung around to face him, "I want you to know that despite what you may feel, you will always have a place in my heart Heero. You will always have a friend and you will always have a family." She sighed and dropped her head. Heero watched her with intent eyes. He lifted up her chin gently so that he could see her face.

Relena looked at him and lost control. She couldn't bear to do this not anymore. Each time he was breaking her heart. Each time he walked away, a piece of her went with him. "Heero why can't you see how much you mean to the world? Why can't you see how much you mean to the people around you; to your fellow pilots and to me?"

Heero looked at her shocked by her words. She had just given him the indication and the moment he needed,

"I'm not leaving, Relena," he said slowly.

Relena looked up at him sharply,

"You're not?"

Heero shook his head no. He dropped his hand from her chin and slid it down so that he could grasp her own hand. He continued,

"For years I have never known what it really meant to live. I didn't know that I could think and feel. I didn't know that I could ever be capable of friendship…or love." He paused for a moment letting her absorb everything in.

"But things are different now," he continued. "My mind and my heart are beginning to find a new life and a new way to think and feel. And the only conclusion I have come to is…to stay."

Relena nodded in understanding and smiled warmly at him. She held his hand tighter.

Heero went on,

"I just talked to Commander Une and have received a position in the Preventers as head of Relena Peacecrafts security counsel. That is…if she will have me."

Relena's heart leaped and she caught her breath,

"She wouldn't want any other," she said quietly as she looked into her eyes.

Heero looked back at her. They were standing so close now,

"Relena, I don't know what love feels like…but if this is it then…"

Relena's eyes widened at his words. He peered at her; taking her breathless figure in. He suddenly felt not so alone anymore.

Heero couldn't take it any longer. He drew Relena to him and kissed her with more emotion that they both could muster. She kissed him back with and equal amount of pain and passion.

Four young men watched them from the shadows. They smiled as their comrade finally found the peace he had always been fighting for.

Email: WildRose1404earthlink.net


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